Reprobate - A River Bend Rebels M/M Romance - Book 1

5. Jamie

"How was the first day back at school?" Mom wanted to know as she filled our plates with roast chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, and a piping hot biscuit slathered in butter. I was ravenous, having had football practice after school that ran so late I barely got home in time for dinner.

We ate at precisely six-fifteen every night. Dad's rule. Of course that changed if he was out of town for a church conference or a rally or something, at which time all bets were off and dinner  was often takeout pizza from Art's Bar and Grill, which the four of us ate in front of the TV. My dad would throw a fit if he ever knew about it.

I shrugged noncommittally. "It was okay. School's school."

"And practice?" my dad asked. "How's the team looking for Friday?"

That was something he and I could easily talk about, since Dad was a football fanatic. Even though I'd come to despise the game, I drummed up enough enthusiasm to keep him happy. Because I had a big question I wanted to ask him and my mother tonight. "The guys are looking really solid," I said, scooping up some mashed potatoes with my fork. "I think we'll do good against Neillsville on Friday."

"Well," Mom said quietly.

I glanced at her. When she didn't say anything else, I said, "What, Mom?"

"Well. You'll do well against Neillsville," she said with a tiny smile.

Dad chuckled and I smiled back at her. My mother was always correcting my grammar. She really should've been a teacher. "Yeah, we'll do well."

Mom and Dad's attention switched to Ethan and Hannah's first day of school. The five of us made a little more small talk throughout dinner, and then my dad cleared his throat, and from out of left field he said, "So, Jameson, I understand there's a new boy who started this year."

I froze, fork halfway to my mouth. Ethan and Hannah gave us curious glances. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that my dad knew about Kyril. He kept his thumb on the pulse of the entire community. Keeping my tone noncommittal, I nodded and said, "Yeah. Kyril Ross. He's in a couple of my classes."

"Well, from the sounds of it, he's quite a troubled young man." Dad sighed. "He's going to have a very difficult time adjusting and fitting in here. He's one of those goth kids." He waved his hand dismissively. "From all indications, he isn't a Christian, either. I've heard he lives with only his father, who clearly has no idea how to discipline him. There's no mother in the picture at all. I imagine this young man is probably caught up in drugs, satanic rock music, perhaps even witchcraft and whatnot, and..." a pause as Dad's lips tightened, as if speaking the words caused him physical pain. "Is most likely a deviant. A homosexual." 

Ethan and Hannah gasped in unison. I couldn't speak. Okay, yeah, Kyril definitely wasn't like any other kid in school, but come on. This was over the top, even for Dad. How could he presume all that based only on what he'd heard about Kyril's appearance? How could he possibly know what kind of guy Kyril Ross actually was? How could anyone who didn't even know him?

"Oh, dear," Mom fretted. "Couldn't Jameson witness to him? Perhaps he just needs some peer guidance..." her words trailed off at the firm shake of my dad's head.

"Normally I would agree and encourage just that, Carolyn. Soul-winning is a cornerstone of our walk with Christ, of course. But in this instance, and with this young man, I'm afraid that Satan has taken hold of his heart and blackened it, turned him deaf to the truth of Christ. I'll reach out to the father, of course. Either this week or next. But in the meantime, the best thing for Jameson to do is avoid this Kyril Ross, and I expect you to do just that, son." My father's dark eyes, so much like my own, bore into me. "Do I make myself clear?"