Extremely & Incredibly

Chapter 8: Talk

No one was in the backyard. Thomas closes the door behind him and Jake as they enter.

Jake says nothing to Thomas and looks anywhere except for Thomas's eyes.

Thomas observes Jake. "I want to apologize for ignoring you."

Jake gives no reaction, despite wanting to slap him.

"I get that you're mad at me. But can you please hear me out?" Thomas sees that Jake is listening but is trying hard to show his disappointment in him. "My father suspects I am not entirely straight, and I can't have that."

Jake finally looks at him.

"I can't be the man you want me to be. I can jeopardize my future if my father disowns me." Thomas goes on. "Maybe after I finish my schooling and get myself secure, I can be open and love whoever I love."

"You could have told me that in the beginning except by giving me the coldest shoulder." Jake states.

"I didn't know how you would've reacted."

Jake chuckles lightly. "Remember, Thomas, I'm the one living in the basement of my mom's house, and I'm not allowed to talk to her. So I would have understood completely."

Thomas looks down in shame, he knew that, but he couldn't bring himself to do that. "I was just scared."

Jake remembers his struggle when his mom kicked him down to the basement and his father blocked his number.

"Thank you for telling me, though. At least I can put my feelings to rest now that I know the truth." Jakes says.

Thomas breathes a sigh of relief. "Can we meet tomorrow at the meadow?"

Jake thinks about the offer. He hasn't been there since that day. But from the corner of his eye, he sees Mason pop his head in the door's window to see if what he is looking for is there.

Thomas turns in the direction Jake is looking and sees Mason too.

He opens the door, "Hey, busy at the moment?" Mason asks.

Thomas shakes his head, "we just finished talking," he turns to Jake, "text me. I'm going back inside."

"Great, Becca is looking for you, by the way," Mason tells him.

Jake forgot about confronting Thomas about him and Becca. But Thomas is already inside, and Mason closes the door behind him as he joins Jake.

"You came to the party," Mason says as he grabs Jake and pulls him close to him. "Hey, sexy."

Jake is wide-eyed. He can tell Mason is high. "Mason, people can see you."

"See me what?" Mason leans in and kisses Jake. "Do you think I'm ashamed of being who I am?"

"Aren't you afraid of what people will say?"

"About what? Jake, I like you. That's why I wanted you to come to the party." Mason gives Jake another kiss. "I want for you to be my boyfriend. I want everyone to see me hold your hand, kiss you, and do cute boyfriend shit."

Jake tries to process what Mason said. Someone - Mason, to be exact - wants Jake to be his boyfriend and be public about it. "Mason, are you serious right now?"

"I am," Mason replies quickly. "Jake, I have had my eyes on you for a while now. The only thing keeping me from asking you out was that you were seeing Thomas."

Jake begins to wonder what would Thomas's reaction be if he saw the two together. But then again, he's with Becca and admitted that he couldn't be in a gay relationship due to the threat of losing his dad's money and blessing.

"What do you say, Jake?" Mason gets serious and holds Jake closer. "Will you go to prom with me?"