I'm Not The Guy You're Taking Home [CHARLIE CONWAYXADAM BANKS]{BXB}

33

Charlie's POV
Several months later
I hear intense knocking on my front door and I say "Adam, would you get that?" He jogs to the front door and I say "as much as I love you, please stop running in the house cause it hypes the dog up." The dog runs after him and I chuckle, shaking my head. Adam says "hey, guys. Come on in."

AJ says "I need help!" I say "with what? Sit down" chuckling and Adri says "last minute scholarships." Adam says "yeah, I'm useless for that one." Adri says "I'll take some help too." I chuckle and they pull out laptops and Adam says "I'm out." I smile and AJ hands me his laptop saying "can you look over mg essays?" I say "I'll correct your spellings and grammar but other than that I can't do much for you."

He says "I know" and I fix everything I'm allowed to then I hand the laptop over. I say "it looks good, dude. I'd take it and run with what you've got. I wouldn't change anything about it." AJ says "thank you" and I say "let me see what you've got, sweetheart." Adri hands his laptop over and sits criss cross facing me. He says "these are all my essays and I need to talk to you about something" quietly.

I smile and nod, looking over his essays, and correcting spelling and grammar. Adam comes in saying "AJ, I have something to show you. I got you something." AJ says "dude, you shouldn't have." Adam says "it's upstairs, come on." They both jog upstairs and I say "what's on your mind?" He closes his laptop and sighs saying "I'm just so stressed. Like AJ needs hockey to go really well, we have scholarships to hand in, hope we get into the schools we want, hope we aren't paying boatloads of cash for the really nice schools we want, and get into the same school so our relationship doesn't go down the drain. It's just a lot" tears coming to this young boys eyes.

I open my arms and I give him a big hug saying "let me tell you a story." He looks at me in question, pulling away. I say "Adam and I didn't go to school together." He says "Adam didn't go to school?" I say "no, he was asked to play for Anaheim at the end of our senior year hockey season. He had a two year contract. I went to school for six years. It wasn't all good but majority, it was. Pro hockey season is hell and college is a taste of hell. Anyway, you just have to make time for each other. That's how you stay afloat, honey. You have to make time for each other. I can't voice that enough. Not just calling each other. If you guys are doing distance, have someone get you two a hotel during breaks and spend it just you two, babe. If you are closer, go see each other. Sure, you might get five hours instead of nine that night but if the relationships worth it, that won't matter. It'll be ok and you gotta let that man of yours know, you miss him and that he should do something about it."

Adri smiles and hugs me saying "so, just put the work in and it'll be ok?" I nod saying "you will make it happen if you want it to happen" and he sighs and I say "I'm absolutely serious, dude." He smiles saying "thanks, Charlie." I say "no problem, kid." Adam and AJ come down the stairs and AJ says "guess who has new skates!" I chuckle, shaking my head. Adam bought the nicest skates he could ever wear and they were a tad too big, so he's getting another pair and handing these ones off to AJ.

I smile and AJ says "thanks, Adam. Thanks, Charlie. Should we get going?" He looks down then clasps his hands together and Adri says "sure, baby." I say "let me talk to you for a second." AJ nods and Adam walks out with Adri. I stand up and I say "honey, you seem stressed. What's going on?" He just cries and hugs me. AJ says "I don't want to go home." I say "why?"

He says "my dad is never proud of anything I do and I know I'm a good hockey player but I like to hear it from someone other than Adri and people that want to be me." He just sobs and I rub his back saying "only six months left, four of them are hockey season. Spend time with that beautiful boyfriend of yours, make it through high school, and you don't have to see anyone you don't want to ever again, honey."

He says "it's just hard." I say "I know, I know exactly what you're going through." He sobs into my shoulder and I say "Adam doesn't talk to any of his family except his brother and his significant other. It is completely ok to disassociate from your parents. You will be an adult which means you can do whatever the hell you want." He nods and says "I want out." I say "I know, honey. I know" rubbing his back. AJ says "thank you, Charlie. I'll be around soon I think."

I say "hey, listen to me. Do what is best for you, AJ. We are right here for you and we love you and we care about you, ok? If you need me or Adam, you call us." He nods saying "I love you too" wiping his eyes. I give him another big hug saying "let's go, dude" and we go outside. Adam and I say bye to them and he says "come on, sunshine" and we go inside.

We sit on the couch and I lean into his side. Adam says "I'm glad that we're here together. I'm glad we get to live this life together and nothing is holding us back" kissing my forehead and I say "I love you so much" and he says "I love you too, sunshine."