Learn How to Love (Boy x Boy)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

"There you are!" Sadie practically tackled me the second I walked through the front doors. Luke had insisted we walk to school together, but once we reached the football field he veered off towards the back entrance where he usually met up with the Douche Squad. I voiced my annoyance at who he chose to hang out with, but Luke just avoided the question, yanked his beanie down as far as it would go and stalked off.

"Jesus calm down Sadie. I was gone for one day," I laughed. Only a day? I wondered. So much had happened over the course of just twenty four hours. Luke fucking Salazar had ears for crying out loud. I stared Sadie up and down for a few moments. Could I tell her? No, no way. She'd spread it across the entire school. I couldn't explain to her why I was helping Luke with his problem. Sadie hated Luke more than I did, and I only hated him because he killed my grandma. Well, sort of. Now I wasn't so sure about blaming him. It'd only make it harder to act on my promise of assisting the whole cat thing. Not to mention Sadie would find it fucking hilarious and probably make fun of him for it until the end of time even if we managed to fix it. 

Sadie slapped my arm. "You have to tell me when you're going to miss school, or at least if you're not feeling well or something! For all I knew you had bought a ticket to Afghanistan and were flying over there to start an ethical alpaca farm!"

I blinked, startled.

Sadie sighed. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry. Seriously though, you need to let me know. I thought you were curled up in your treehouse bawling your eyes out or something. I stopped by around noon, but no one was there but your dad. I think he was watching crime shows, I kept hearing guns go off and some Southern guy talking about breasts."

I panicked. Sadie stopped by my house. What if she had gone into the treehouse? If she had seen Luke it would all be over... Even if she didn't see the ears of tail, she'd freak out and probably start beating him up or something. She'd assume he was going through my shit or trying to rob me. I grabbed Sadie by the shoulders and shook her slightly.

"Sadie, listen to me. You cannot go by my house anymore. Do you understand?"

Sadie stared at me, surprised. "What?"

"You can't come to my house," I insisted. "Not for a little while at least."

"Why?" she asked, her brows knit in confusion.

I searched for an answer that didn't involve exposing Luke. "My dad's been freaking out lately. He doesn't like anyone being over at the house. Both of us will get into serious trouble if he finds out I've had someone over, or that I had someone stop by. Especially a girl."

Sadie nodded sympathetically. I told Sadie practically everything, including how my parents were raging drug addicts, but I didn't tell her the full story. Like how my dad was a violent, unhinged man that probably needed more mental help than drugs could provide. As long as he was holed away in the garage he wasn't bothering anyone I cared about. He was only dangerous when he was sobered up enough to be a threat. He could barely throw a punch when high, but if he knew where he was and what he was doing than he could break someone's jaw. I felt a small shiver go through me. If Dad ever hurt Sadie... I'd never forgive myself.

Sadie seemed to register what my serious expression meant. "All you have to do is talk to me, Kyky," Sadie murmured, rubbing my shoulder reassuringly. "Seriously, I don't care. We can hang out at my house, or at the park or the pool or where ever else you want. All I care about is spending time with you- doesn't matter where, or when. I'm here for you. That's why it hurts so much that you've been shutting me out since your grandma died. I know you're hurting, and I know you don't cope with it very well."

I sighed. "I know..." I glanced over my shoulder. I spotted the edge of Justin Metz's bag around the corner. It was a dark blue bag with "BOOBEEZ" scrawled over the front pocket in permanent marker. I wondered if Luke was over there, and I wondered if he was having fun with his friends. "I think I found something to distract me for a little while," I said at last. I turned back to Sadie, and gave her a small smile. "You don't have to worry about me."