The Five Stages of Gayness

Chapter Twelve - Dad

Tangerine! Tangerine! Living reflections... from a dream. (If I forget, don't ask.)

ALEX

Chapter Twelve

I plopped my backpack down on the floor by the entrance of my house, hearing my heavy textbooks clatter as I did so. I yearned to sit down, the combination of my usual harassment and the long gym class I'd had last period rendering me exhausted. Still, I stayed up a while longer.

Walking to the kitchen, I opened our old, blue fridge. Examining the contents, my eyes passed over several food items. I finally decided on a can of Coca Cola. I shut the fridge, popping open my drink. I took a long draught while making my way to the living room. I plopped down on the couch with a loud thump. Almost as an afterthought, I called out the ritual words.

"Mom, I'm home!"

Instantly, she stepped into the living room, a smile on her face. How she'd got there, I had no idea. She had a talent for going unnoticed. It was kind of creepy.

"So how you doing, sweetie?" She asked. "Those boys giving you any trouble?"

She had found out about the football guys after the black eye incident. Since then, she'd been asking me about them every day after school.

"I told you, I took care of it," I said vaguely.

My mother sighed.

"I told your idiot father that it wasn't safe for you here. It's his damn mystery job. I begged him to quit, that we'd manage. We always found a way to get by. He said that they wouldn't let him leave so easily, whatever that means." She sat down on the couch next to me, staring ahead with unfocused eyes, as if remembering something. "Sometimes, I don't think he's the same man I married."

I awkwardly patted her back.

"He's been gone for almost a month. I'm sure you're just worried. Texas isn't that bad."

I didn't tell her that I thought so as well. I didn't tell her how much I hated it here. I told her something reassuring. I told her what she needed to hear. She was my mother. She'd taken care of me through so much. She didn't deserve the burden of worrying about me.

My mother seemed to compose herself, the usual cheery smile returning to her face as she snapped out of her daze.

"I'm sure you're right." She frowned slightly. "You don't seem to have any friends. Should I be worried?"

I shook my head hastily.

"No, no. It's fine. I have a friend. His name is..." I paused. "Adriel." Shit. That was the first name that came to mind. It should be okay. I'd only given her the last names of my antagonists, since that was what they went by. I had to break this off before she started asking questions. "Gotta go! Homework!"

I ran away quickly up the stairs under the suspicious glare of my worried mother. I'd really fucked that one up. If she hadn't been concerned before, she was now. She would probably want to know more about Adriel. Why had I even used that name? It wasn't something common. I hadn't even heard the name before I got here! I entered my room and closed the door, sitting on my bed.

For some reason, I'd been thinking about him of late. Adriel, with his volatile emotions, like he was a time bomb that could go off any second. Adriel, with his deep voice and green eyes. We didn't actually talk much, but when we did, it was... nice. Then again, I hadn't had a real conversation with anyone but him and that nameless blonde since I got here. I'd never seen her again. So technically, Adriel was the closest thing I had to a friend here. But he hated me. All I was in his eyes was "that dirty fucking faggot". If I was straight, we'd probably be good friends. I would like that. But I wasn't, and there was really no way to change that. So he hated me.