Deer In Headlights [Minizerk]

Chapter 9

As Ethan and I walked out to the car park I mentioned my plans to him.

"I think I'm gonna ask my dad if Josh can move in with us, even if it's temporarily until he gets his own place" I explained.

"He definitely needs to get out of that house, you really think he'll say yes?" He asked.

"One hundred percent, as long as he knows the details of what's happening. Obviously I don't want to violate Josh's privacy... But abuse is different. He needs protection and I'm not gonna sugar coat what he's dealing with" I told him.

"What were they saying while you were in there? I only heard when you yelled at them" he said.

"They asked me if I was the one who turned Josh gay, then asked if he was dating me, then reminded him that if ever dated a guy under their roof they'd kick him out" I said, shaking slightly from the anger of recounting the memory.

"Are you fucking serious? Oh my god" Ethan shook his head.

We got to my dad's car and both got in the back so we were sat together.

"Hey, your friend okay?" My dad asked us.

"He's hopefully gonna be better, which brings me onto needing to talk to you about something" I said immediately.

"Shoot" he nodded as we started to drive.

"My friend Josh, the one in the hospital, his parents are awful to him. Verbally abusive, no idea if they're physical or not. He's in hospital because he tried to kill himself because of them. He really needs to get out of that house" I began.

"What are they saying to him?" He frowned.

"Threatening to kick him out if he gets a boyfriend, told him being gay was a choice he made, accused me of turning him because of the way I was dressed" I told him.

"When I was in there they called him an idiot for trying to kill himself and said his life isn't that bad, he's the one who chose to make things harder for himself by liking guys" Ethan jumped in. I was horrified.

"I know what you're gonna ask Simon, yes, he can stay with us. That's fucking disgusting. I don't care if I've never met the boy, he is not staying in that house" my dad gripped the steering wheel tighter.

"Wait you really don't mind?" I asked "Will mum be okay with it?"

"I think she'll be even angrier than I am, he can stay with us as long as he needs I promise. You got his number?" He asked.

"No, I am visiting him tomorrow though after school" I told him.

"Tell him he can leave that house, we'll go with him to collect his stuff when he's out of hospital and give him a lift both ways of course" he said.

"Thank you so much dad"

"I think Josh will be a lot happier with you guys, he won't be anywhere near as angry" Ethan nodded.

"We'll make sure he's okay" my dad promised "One thing I need to know, is he your friend, or your boyfriend?"

"He's my friend" I clarified.

"Simon does very obviously like him though" Ethan grinned.

"It's not that obvious is it?" I felt my face heating up.

"He called you cute and you looked like you were about to die on the spot" he laughed.

"Sounds like Josh likes you back" my dad smiled.

"Nah I think he just likes winding me up, he found it hilarious earlier" I sighed.

"I'm excited to meet him, he seems like a good 'friend'" he said, making quotation marks at the word friend.

"He's genuinely not my boyfriend, I just wouldn't be opposed to it if he was" I admitted.

"Wait so you do like him?" Ethan grinned.

"Obviously, you know he's my type" I blushed.

"Ahhh, grunge style? Dark hair?" My dad asked with a laugh.

"He's the epitome of it" Ethan told him.

"What's his type?" My dad asked.

"I'm not sure, he's not had a boyfriend before to my knowledge" I said, but then a memory popped back into my head of when Josh called me pretty.

"You've gone red, what is it?" Ethan asked.

"Erm, I think his type is feminine actually" I said.

"What makes you say that?" He grinned.

"You know in class when he was winding me up and I punched him?" I said and Ethan nodded. I leaned to whisper to Ethan "He said 'not bad pretty boy'"

"Oh my god, that's what he said to you that you wouldn't tell me" he started laughing at my embarassment.

"I'm feeling left out" my dad laughed.

"Josh told Simon he was pretty" Ethan's grin widened.

"Yeah you're his type" he nodded.