"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit..." I thought to myself. "Is he a homophobe? Did he catch on to me crushing on him? He's probably going to ask me to leave because I make him feel uncomfortable. UGH."
These thoughts a questions persistently pestered my mind as I made my way down the stairs.
"Smoke?" Eric asked while holding out a cigarette.
"Yeah." I answered as I took the cigarette.
I know it's for bad me to be smoking because I'm a singer, for my health, and the list goes on.
"I'm making a band and I want you to sing in it." Eric said, his voice taking me back from my thoughts to reality.
"What." I said in shock.
"I'm making a band and I want you to sing it." He repeated. "I asked Shane to play guitar because he's absolutely amazing."
"What about James? Shane is like intense heavy metal." I said quickly. "I can't sing to that."
"But you can. I like alternative, easy-rock. You obviously like Pop and that Top 40's music. But as musicians we need to expand our tastes and music. We need to grow outside of our genres that we are comfortable with." He said with awe and wonder.
As he continued to talk about music and his experience I kept thinking to myself about how amazing this opportunity was. He seemed so intelligent and like he really knew what he was talking about. I wanted to work with him, because I knew he could take me places.
"What do you say? You want to jump onboard with me? You know being the lead singer is going to be a lot of responsibility. You and I have to run a tight ship if we want to go places." He said.
"Yes, yes I will." I said still in shock. "But Shane is going to be a problem. He's not going to like this."
"No he won't. He needs to understand that following you is a good choice. But you as lead singer and band leader you need to understand the needs of the other members." Eric said with that addicting half-smile.
"I can do that." I said returning the smile.
"Alright then. Let's break the news." He said.
"Yeah. Okay." I said grinning and out of breath.
"After you." Eric said holding the door in and guiding me up the stairs.
................................................................................................
"NO. ABSOLUTELY NO." Shane jumped up off the couch after he heard the news.
"Calm down Shane. There is no need for this." Eric said calmly.
"HE ALWAYS DOES THIS. MAKES IT ALL ABOUT HIM." Shane was on the verge of screaming. "DON'T YOU SEE IT?!?! WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN SEE HOW HE IS A PRISSY BITCH."
"Shane if you can't calm down. I'm going to ask you to leave." Eric said slowly standing up and holding his hands out. Trying to get my brother to sit down and quiet down.
"Shane you need to quiet down, or the neighbors are going to come over here. Or worse call 911." Katie said trying to help.
"You are all blind sheep. You don't see how controlling he is. He is toxic. He thinks he's better than everyone because he can sing." Shane's teeth were gritted and his eyes were wide open.
We all just stared at him until he finally sat down.
"Your brother can sing and he has experience." Eric said breaking the silence. "He has two singles out on YouTube and you have how many? People want to work with him for a reason. You know all this." He said trying to convince my brother to stay in the band.
"He's poison." Shane said with such enunciation he was spitting.
"Is it because I won't sing your devil music?" I said.
"Because I won't play your regurgitated radio shit." He answered.
I looked at him quizzically, "You make no sense. Your music isn't music. There is no soul just anger."
"And that's what people need to embrace. Anger. It's the drive for a revolution."
"It's also the cowardly way out." I said ending his rant.
"How so? Because I stand up for what I believe in?" He asked.
"Because you stand up for yourself?" I exclaimed putting my hand to my chest. "If anything that's not what you are doing. You are creating chaos. Acting on anger is the most irresponsible thing because you are not thinking clearly."
"And that's what some people need to do. Not think and just do." He retorted.
"So they make choices that lead to mistakes." I said sheepishly. "You are not thinking clearly. I think you need to get some fresh air."
"You can't tell me what to do." Shane shouted and was instantly back on his feet.
"But I can." Eric butted in. "You and I are both going downstairs."
"You're seriously siding with this faggot?" Shane said.
"Yes, because he's talented and so far has proven to be a good person." Eric replied.
"I would not take you to like their kind." Shane said astounded.
"Their kind? He's human. He's your brother. What makes them so different? Because he like's boys? That never proved he's alien or a threat." Eric replied calmly and clearly shocked my brother was so close minded. "I'm asking you to leave."
"Thank God." Katie said with relief.
"I'll escort you downstairs and we will have a word." Eric said while showing my brother out.
...............................................................................
Few moments later Eric and Shane were downstairs and we could hear my brother yelling.
"So much for adventure." Mopey said with disappointment.
"At least we got a soap opera. The life of a Asian Boys in the U.S.A." James said coyly.
"Oh shush." I said playfully punching James' arm.
"Well, there was a good moment in there. Like when you and James performed for all of us." Katie said looking for the silver lining.
"We can finish it for you." James said excitedly.
"Go for it!" She said as she settled onto the couch with a blanket.
James started playing and my thoughts got the best of me as he started to play. How could my brother be so angry? What have I ever done to him to deserve all this?
James kicked my leg and gave me a look of 'Hello? You need to sing'. I closed my eyes and started where we left off...
"I've got a tight grip on reality but I can't
Let go of what's in front of me here
I know you are leaving in the morning when you wake up
Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream
You are the only exception
You are my only exception"
Then silence hit and I looked up to hear clapping from one person.
Shane.
YOU ARE READING
Young, Gay, Love
Teen Fiction'Young, Gay, Love' is a book about a teenage gay named Sam trying to understand how the world works. Growing up as a sheltered home-schooler he learns what the term gay is and that thinking boys are attractive has a lot more strings attached than he...
