Tranquil Falls

Outed

I could hear people shouting. I opened my eyes slowly. Outside, the sky had grown dark. Finley was sitting up next to me, staring at the door. I ran a hand over my face and stretched, reaching out and putting a hand on his back.

"What's going on?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, but I'm sure as hell not going out there and getting in the middle of it." He looked down at me before he pressed his lips against mine. I ran my hand up his back to his hair, kissing him back as the door burst open.

Finley jumped. "Hey, man! What the fuck?"

I looked over at the door and sat up quickly, my heart pounding in my chest as I stared at my dad. He stared back, looking at me like he was seeing a stranger. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. My mom appeared behind him, still dressed in her scrubs. I swallowed hard.

"You can't just come in here!" Finley snapped.

"Get dressed," my dad said finally. "You're coming home."

My dad turned, slamming the door shut behind him. I put my head in my hands, feeling like I was going to puke.

"What is going on, Gat?" Finley asked finally, putting his hand on my shoulder.

I jerked away and threw off the covers, searching for my boxers. "I never...I never told them. About anything."

"Gatlin," he said softly.

"I know. I know. I'm a piece of shit for it, but I couldn't," I told him as I found my sweats and pulled them on. "It's probably part of the reason I'm so fucked up, but I just...I can't. Okay?"

He nodded, standing up and pulling on his own boxers. He handed me my shirt and put a hand on my waist. "Hey. You're always welcome here, okay?"

I nodded and yanked my shirt on as I stuffed my feet into my shoes. "Thanks," I murmured before I kissed him and left.

My parents wouldn't look at me as I met them outside. They walked silently to the car, my mom holding open the back door as she waited for me to get in. She slammed it shut behind me and got into the passenger seat. I almost wished that it would have been Owens who had picked me up. At least he tried to make friendly conversation.

"I can explain," I said as my dad pulled onto the street.

"Shut up," he said, his hands clenching the steering wheel. "I don't want to hear you say a Goddamn word."

I sat back in the seat, staring down at my hands. I had left my hoodie in Finley's room, but I didn't dare ask if I could go back to get it. I'd have him drop it off at school or something. He didn't do anything to warrant facing my parents' wrath. That was all on me.

"You smell like a Goddamn whore house," Dad muttered under his breath.

I swallowed hard, picking at a piece of loose skin on my palm. "I'm sorry," I said softly.

"Save the apologies for someone who will believe them," he snapped. "You've been giving us the runaround and we're done with it, Gatlin. We found the pills that you haven't been taking."

I rested my head against the back of the seat, closing my eyes. He turned onto the highway, muttering under his breath about how I'd lost all their trust. I wanted to be treated like an adult but didn't give them any reason to make them do just that.

"How long has it been going on, Gatlin?" Mom asked finally.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and opened my eyes, blinking back the tears. "Doesn't matter."