Stuck in the Middle

Chapter 41

As more and more days passed, I slowly forgot about the altercation with my mother. I was never called into the Headmaster's office to be told my mother unenrolled me from the school. Part of me wondered if I should still be concerned about that happening, but the other part was grateful that it didn't seem like she was going to go that far.

I only really starting thinking about her again with the Thanksgiving holiday coming up. The campus was closing on Wednesday and reopening Sunday, which meant I wasn't allowed to stay. The only problem was that I didn't want to go home.

"Earth to Spencer."

I snapped my gaze up to see TJ waving his hand in front of my face. That's when I realized everyone had pretty much gone and it was just us left, plus Austin standing on the other side of the room, cleaning up from the meeting.

I don't even remember what we talked about today. I've always loved our LGBT meetings, but I couldn't seem to concentrate on anything that happened during it tonight.

"Are you feeling okay?" TJ asked.

I nodded slowly. "Yeah, sorry. Just a lot on my mind, I guess."

He smiled widely. "Like how Austin and I make the perfect couple?"

Ever since he and Austin became official, TJ had not stopped talking about it. Every conversation we had always ended up on him. I shook my head. "I can't go home for Thanksgiving. I don't know what I'm going to do."

The smile fell right off his face. After my mother made her scene on campus, I finally told TJ exactly what's been going on with her. I'd always skirted around the truth, as I did with most people. But TJ wasn't most people. Not anymore.

"I'd invite you to my place, but there's going to be so many people, I don't think you'd be able to fit..."

Austin must have heard at least some of our conversation. "What about one of your boyfriends?" he asked, still standing on the other side of the room. "Have you asked them yet?"

I shook my head again. I didn't think either one of them were out to their parents. I'd also feel weird if I went home with one of them and didn't spend the holiday with the other. Why did three-way relationships have to be so complicated?

Just then, the door opened and Marc strolled in. He was still in his practice clothes, even though basketball practice ended hours ago and we even ate dinner together before my meeting started. He and John went to meet up with a few of their friends after dinner, so I wasn't entirely sure why Marc was here now.

"Look at that, good timing," TJ said, nudging my shoulder.

"Were you talking about me?" Marc asked, walking over and sat in the seat next to me.

I shrugged. "Not exactly. Where's John?"

Before Marc could answer, TJ stood and tapped me on the shoulder. "We're headed out. Text me later?"

I nodded and watched as he practically skipped across the room, grabbing hold of Austin's hand. We all said a quick goodbye to each other before it was just Marc and me alone in the classroom.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "You seem a bit off today."

I shrugged again. "Next week is Thanksgiving. I can't go home for it." Then I realized I never got an answer about where John was. Or maybe I just didn't hear it. "Where's John? Did I ask that already? Did you tell me? I'm sorry."

Marc let out a soft chuckle. "He was hungry so he went to find food. I came to find you." He leaned over a placed a gentle kiss on my cheek. "As far as next week, I can talk to my mom. I'm sure you'd be more than welcome with us."

I blushed. "I can't ask your family to do that for me. I don't want to impose."

He brushed some of my hair off my forehead and placed a gentle kiss there. "You could never impose, even if you tried. Besides, my mom loves hosting big parties. She'd love to meet you."

For some reason, I felt embarrassed about the thought of meeting his family. Officially. Technically, they met me the day we moved in, but that was completely different. I didn't know Marc and he was too distracted being angry at John being our roommate to even think about getting my name, let alone sitting down and introducing me to his family.

I stared at his hand that laid on his lap. I wanted to grab it, to hold onto it, but my embarrassment was still too overbearing to even make the move.

"Does your family know?" I asked quietly. "About me? About us?"

He was quiet for a long moment. I didn't want to force Marc to come out to his family for me. It wouldn't be fair. He needed to come out when he was ready and if it would be too hard on him for me to be in his home without his family knowing the truth, then I'd find somewhere else to spend the holiday.

Before I could voice my decision to ask someone else, Marc let out a long sigh and grabbed my hand. I squeezed it a bit, grateful he made the move.

"I'm not entirely sure what they know," he said softly. "When I was home for my birthday, I was pretty upset. I was mad at you and John, when I really had no right to be - and I'm still so sorry about that. But I'm not sure what I actually said to my mom. She was asking me questions and I don't know what I said. If I said anything about being gay."

I squeezed his hand again. I felt bad for him, but I didn't know how to make him feel better. I didn't know his family. I didn't know how they'd react to finding out he was gay, if they didn't already know. But I still didn't want to intrude on his family if they didn't know about him and us.

He spoke again, breaking the silence that had fallen between us. "You're still more than welcome at my house," he said. "If my parents know, then they're okay with me being gay. If they don't know and aren't okay with it, I think I'll need you by my side."

"From what you've told me," I said, giving him a small smile, "they sound like great people. I'm sure they'd be fine with you. But you don't have to come out to them yet if you're not ready."

He took a deep breath. "I am ready, though. I love you and I want my parents to get to know you, too. As my boyfriend." He sighed. "Do you think it would be weird to invite John, too? If I'm coming out, I might as well get it all out at once, right?"

I smiled even wider. I didn't want to spend the holiday with only one of my boyfriends, so even the thought of Marc wanting to invite John to his home as well was enough to immediately put me in a good mood. It would be weird, I'm sure. But we were all together. Why not let people who weren't our classmates know, too?