11 (bxb)

chapter 21

Hinlo took a shaky step back and looked at his parents, eyes wide with fear.

"We...watched the performance." Mrs.Calen said. Hinlo hung his head, eyes watering. Vilanteo stepped forward, placing a hand on hinlo's shoulder.

"If you're here to scold Hinlo for doing something he loves, this is where I'm going to stop you. He loves figure skating and his grades are already best in the school! He doesn't need to continue to study every minute of every day!" vilanteo said defendlingly.

Mr.Calen smiled.

"You really are a good man, vilanteo." he said softly, pressing a hand on top of his head. Vilanteo looked at him in shock.

"I...realize now that i have been a bad father...i have only asked of your studies and not what you wished to do...i apologize, hinlo. And i'm guessing your boyfriend is vilanteo?" he asked softly. Hinlo nodded and he smiled brighter. "He is a good man. I give you both my blessing and wish for only happiness for you two."

Hinlo rushed forward and hugged his mother and father tightly. They laughed, hugging him back just as tightly. Vilanteo smiled at hinlo. Hinlo turned around and hugged vilanteo just as tightly. He laughed, savoring the hug he got.

When they pulled away, Hinlo was crying tears of joy. The last thing he expected was for his parents to accept him.

They talked for a long while, and eventually, hinlo went home with his parents, taking vilanteo's bouquet of flowers with him.

Four weeks passed. Vilanteo had enough saved to pay for one month of rent in his apartment. He was so proud of himself. He only smiled in his new apartment as he looked around. It was empty, and he hasn't told his dad about it yet. Maybe he'll just stop showing up at the house.

Hinlo was with him. They were holding hands, their promise ring hands, vilanteo hugged hinlo tightly, wanting to cry into his shoulder.

Vilanteo did it. He had survived through hell and was now gifted with an angel from heaven.

The two laid on the floor and talked about where they thought everything should go. They planned on one bed, because hopefully when they chose to move in together, they would be somewhat comfortable with sharing a bed full time.

Vilanteo was given a small birthday party, with just his baseball team, hinlo, and hinlo's family. Nothing big, but it was special to vilanteo.

The next few years were going to be the hardest for them. They were each trying to get into the colleges of their dreams. The only thing was that they were not in the same place.

"It says here that Mississippi to Boston is a twenty hour drive. So two days if I drive, a day if I fly." vilanteo said. Hinlo grumbled, burying his face in vilanteo's hoodie that he was wearing. Vilanteo chuckled, running his fingers through hinlo's hair.

"I'm just going to go to Mississippi with you." hinlo huffed. Vilanteo chuckled.

"No, you're going to Massachusetts to continue your dreams as a figure skater. I'm going to Mississippi to try and get a scholarship to the best baseball team there is. What do you think I should do? I want to help people, hinlo. I want to look out for the little guys like I was before moving. I could be a cop. A firefighter is more likely. I just want to help people." vilanteo said softly. Hinlo hummed.

"You'd look sexy as a firefighter or police officer. But, overall, I think you could either become the best MLB player, or either of those options. Junior year is ending soon, but we have a whole year to figure things out, alright?" hinlo whispered. Vilanteo nodded, kissing his head.

The two laid in the empty apartment, side by side, hugging one another.

A month later and school had ended. It was summer and everyone was either hanging out in the blazing sun or going on vacation. Vilanteo was working longer hours and more days, almost every day in fact, between two jobs he had.

Everyday when he got home, he would either make dinner, or eat it with the person he loved most. Hinlo was slowly starting to move in. He slept over a lot, but his stuff was still at his parent's. The both of them agreed to start living together when school started back up again.

Hinlo practiced everyday on the ice, getting better and better. Vilanteo expected him to be at the Olympics one day.

Vilanteo's father had been arrested for child abuse, rape, illgal fighting, and murder of his own wife.

Vilanteo and hinlo had celebrated that day, buying a cake from a shop and eating it with huge smiles on their faces.

The apartment felt more like home. Now had furniture, a TV, proper bed and not a mattress on the floor, decorations, a huge gay pride flag hanging off of their balcony, and vilanteo couldnt be more proud of the food that he had bought and put into his fridge.

The days etched on, and when school started, they were seniors. They were all sitting at the baseball table, passing around the same stupid dixie cup.

"So, you two still havent fucked? Gabe and I were shagging an hour after I asked him out in the janitor's closet.'' Jonathan said, taking a huge bite of his pizza. Everyone laughed loudly.

"Well, I guess it has to be special. You all know I'm a helpless romantic, I need to make it special!" vilanteo demanded. The others laughed and picked on him for how deeply he felt for hinlo.

Days dragged on and everyone was focusing harder than ever on school. Vilanteo would study in-between his breaks at his job, and stayed up late during night to study.