Devil's Eye

Chapter 5

5' 8"-5' 9"

"Sweety, do you eat enough?" Noah's mom sounded worried, trying to examine him through the computer's screen. "I think you've lost weight!"

"You say it every single time," Noah chuckled, leaving the web camera view to change from the pajamas into the ripped black jeans, the Japanese koi-printed white t-shirt, and a dark-green shirt. His curly square neckline, which Noah usually puts up in a ponytail, looked surprisingly good after the shower today, so the guy decided to leave it just like that.

"Trust me, I eat enough for three. Andrea gets really mad because of it," he reported. "Oh, who's finally awake here?" exclaimed Noah, feeling a touch. A fluffy black cat with a long tail rubbed his nose on his leg. Noah took the cat in his arms to show it to his mom. "Say hello to mommy!" he asked the cat, and, after receiving zero reaction, he started kissing its face. The cat laid back its ears uncomfortably, but he was bearing it, just like he bore Noah's sobbing the other day. A new message appeared in the anonymous university chat and notified that Noah Morgan's shop of indulgence will be closed for a week since he has to deal with the bouquet of STDs that he apparently got from his clients. It would be no big deal if one of the professors didn't see him off from one of the classes, ensuring that health is more important. The whole auditorium burst into laughter for a good ten minutes. Noah wanted to go bright red with shame, but he only managed to go back home and weep into his cat's back.

"God, Noah, remember I asked you not to kiss the cats! Don't forget that they are -"

"- Satan's disciples?" the guy guessed and laughed.

"Noah!"

"Yes-yes-yes, Satan's disciples that are licking their own balls. I always forget," Noah waved his mom's comment away and kissed Fluffy right on the nose. "They are my cats... Well, at list now. I don't mind them," he stated, and he put the pet back on the floor. Peanut was lounging around on the floor in the patch of sunlight that was coming through the blinds. Noah decided not to interrupt the cat, even to show his mom the third habitant of his small flat.

"How's the beginning of the school year? No problems?" mom asked with forced cheerfulness in her voice. Noah was fully aware what kind of problems she meant. Not those that he had, but those that he had never had. Unfortunately, Noah stopped trying to prove his innocence. So now he preferred to answer every time that he was fine, not going into details, so that he wouldn't accidentally get into another fight, which would be followed by new insults. Noah did love his parents. He thought that they were the most understanding people in the whole world. But he still felt shattered every time he remembered that once they had believed the rumors, not their own son.

"Yes, everything's great!" Noah assured his mom, since he decided not to tell her that his hobby of crying his eyes out every night returned right after the first school day. It was better not to tell his parents about some of his interests sometimes.

"Even though you say so..." it was difficult to fool mom's instincts. "I'm worried about you, son."

"Don't be, mom. I'm fine! Everything's great! I'm telling you!" Noah had to put in more effort in order to sound more cheerful.

"Wow, such an expression!" she sighed with relief, completely buying it. "What's the reason? Is it about a boy?"

Noah came out to his parents as gay on his 15th birthday. His parents just answered that they loved him no matter what, and the most important thing for them was their child's happiness. If that meant building a family with a man, they would fully support him. Those memories warmed his soul afterwards. Unfortunately, then came the, 'Darling, we've made you an appointment with a sexologist. Also, we'll give you a bigger allowance, but, please, don't ever...'