unexpected. || SKEPHALO

chapter fourty-three.

S K E P P Y

"no." i heard my dad spit angrily, and my eyebrows furrowed as i got to my feet.
"dad, don't start." i heard samira sigh from beside me, but i was already staring him out.
"you're not gay, zakari. you never have been."
i pinched the bridge of my nose, i knew this was going to bloody happen. "it's not your choice, dad. hell, it's not even mine!"

"calm down boys, let's all just sit." i heard my mum say quietly, "darling take my seat i'll go make us all some tea. you like tea, honey?" i saw her turn to bad.
"tea's great." he responded while awkwardly grinning at her. then, bad turned his eyes to me and i could tell he was uncomfortable. he had every right to be.

"zak—"
"dad please stop." samira said again, her eyes now fixated on the carpet beneath us.
"shut it, samira."
"don't talk to her like that." i said, civilly, "and don't make a big deal out of this. loads of people are gay, its normal."
"i don't have a problem with the gays, zakari don't try make a homophobe out of me. but i know my son, you're not gay."
"my name is zak." i tensed my hand, finding it exceedingly hard to stay calm in this moment.

moments later, my mother thankfully returned with a large tray in her hands. i watched as my sister got up to assist her with the drinks and pass us all a mug.
"now, let's all stay calm." paula said after we were all seated and settled. "micheal, let's not be unreasonable with this, okay honey? if zak says he's gay, then we must accept that."

my dad scoffed, "tell me you don't believe this."
"it doesn't matter what i believe, or what you believe. they are in a relationship." i glanced over to my boyfriend who was staring at my mom with pure admiration in his eyes.

"well, i for one think its lovely!" my sister said, wrapping her arms around my own and squeezing into my side.
"thank you, sis." i smiled to her as she loosened her grip.
"whatever." micheal grumbled but i paid no attention to him. then, we heard scratches at the door.

"ROCCO!" i squealed, getting up from the couch to immediately open the door to the living room.
"oh yeah, i let him into the garden when i got back." my dad said but i didn't respond as i scrambled to pull the door open. instantly, a big fuff of white fur pounced onto me lovingly. i giggled at rocco's excitement as i hugged him tightly. "oh who's a good boy, rocky?" i praised him encouragingly and he barked loudly at my words. "yes you!"

"awww!" samira squealed from besides us.
"he's so cute." bad spoke, for one of the first times this whole visit. i held rocco up in my arms and carried him over to bad.
"rocco, meet bad!" i said and bad stood up to stroke my dog cheerily. by now, my parents had fallen into a conversation about dinner so it wasn't so awkward anymore thankfully.
"you should've brought rat." i said, and he nodded in agremeent.
"yeah, true." bad said, remembering to when he left rat at my house to sleep since she was tired after running around my house after we all got here.

"are you two staying for dinner?" paula asked bad and i happily. i turned to bad, who looked at me with awkward eyes and i knew he didn't want to.
"we have to get home to bad's dog. maybe tomorrow after we've gotten a dog sitter." i responded calmly, and my mom nodded before disappearing of to the kitchen. rocco then scrambled out of my hands to get a fuss off my sister.

"thank you." bad whispered to me, and i smiled to him lovingly.
"of course, we can leave soon don't worry." i whispered back to him, and he nodded in agreement.
"so zak, how's work?" my dad said from the corner of the room and i turned to look at him.
"really good actually." i nodded happily, "you?"
"same old." he shrugged, "you know melissa? she's pregnant again." and i knew he was talking about one of his co-worker who, to my knowledge, was always pregnant.
"who's surprised there?" i grinned with laughter dripping from my lips. my dad seemed to find my words funny too as he also laughed.

then, i heard bad's phone start to ring. of course i knew his ringtone by now.
"i'm sorry—" he muted it, but answered it anyway, "i have to take this.." and then scurried out of the room. i watched him leave, but then turned back to my family whom i hadn't seen in months.
"oh and zak, taylor and elise are together now!" and then my sister started getting me caught up on all the gossip...