The Gays Who Don't Like Musicals (At Least One Of Them Doesn't)

8

Laughs fill the Hawkins' house as Games night continues. Emma is beating everyone in monopoly with Doug and Alice doing great as well. Melissa taps her piece forward, landing on Park Lane. She cheers, having bought Mayfair before, and forks over the cash to get a new set. Ted's go next. He rolls his dice and moves his figure along to "Waterworks! Haha! Take that Henry! Now you can't have a full-"
He stops in his tracks. Emma narrows her eyes.
"OK. My turn" she says, slowly.
"oh look. Euston Road. Henry, how much is that?"
Hidgens swallows, knowing he is caught.
"It's Professor to you and it is 100."
Emma smirks as she pays him.
Charlotte also notices and, in a fit of sudden jealousy, cozies up to Ted who puts his arm round her like he always does. Hidgens feels his face go red and makes up an excuse to leave. Ted follows him.

"Henry. Henry wait."
Hidgens turns round sharply.
"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me you were with Charlotte?"
"Yes, we were a thing but we have both moved on. Charlotte gets jealous easily and, with Doug on their shift, I guess she got jealous of everyone having their duos. I'm the closest one to her in the group other than Doug because of our history so it would make sense for her to come to me. Baby, I never loved her. I guess I used her in a way. She wanted a steady hand through her shitty marriage, to lead her to divorce but I was too blunt. I didn't want a relationship, I just wanted someone to sleep with. But this, I want a relationship with you. I want to be your boyfriend."
Ted leans in and gingerly kisses Hidgens' cheek.
"I want us, I do."
Hidgens grabs Ted's head and faces it towards him. They both lean in for the kiss. It lasts about 7 seconds before Hidgens turns back to the house.
"I can't do this. I'm sorry."
Ted laughs slightly in annoyance.
"Of course."
He turns back around and storms off back to the house. Hidgens stays in the yard, until his adopted daughter, Melissa's roommate, comes to check on him.
"Dad, you need to open up. I heard what happened. You can trust Ted. He won't tell a soul. Didn't he just open up to you about Charlotte? He admitted his mistakes."
Hidgens sighs.
"Yes, I get that, but he was in the wrong. He was the Chad. I can't deal with that all over again."
Hazel stiffens at his name. Chad was the one who brought her to Hidgens. Who didn't even care about his feelings. Who knew no boundaries. Who never loved either of them. Chad is never spoken about in the Hidgens family. Hidgens sighs.
"He said he loved me. I let my guard down. I'm not ready for that kind of relationship again."
"I know. But Ted loves you. It's so clear."