School Bus Graveyard (Tyler X Adien)

Ch. 3

He doesn't make it far when he's inside the house. His mom is waiting for him in the living room with a book in her lap. "Where've you been? I was worried, you know? When the school called me and told me that you missed three classes.... You never skip...." she softly explains, putting her book down. She looks so tired in the light of the lamp. This is when everything all comes flooding back again. It's just like her prescience alone made the broken damn of tears burst again. Tears well up in his stinging eyes again, and he can't stop them from rolling down his cheeks. 'God, that hurts,' he thinks about his stinging eyes and how badly he just wants to stop crying. It hurts.

He sobs out softly as he covers his face with his hands. When he feels arms around him, he hugs her back in an instant. "Mom...." Tyler whispers out feeling those hurtful strings pulling on his heart again. His mom just hugs him tighter. She rubs his back as he sobs into her shoulder. "Shh, it's okay, baby. It's okay. I'm here," she whispers sweet nothings to him as she rubs his back on autopilot. 'She's so nice right now.....' Tyler thinks unsure of what's fully happening right now. His mom usually isn't this nice or even that caring anymore. This is like her old self trying to come out of the dark space it was pushed to again. It feels so nice....to have her back. Even if it is just for a moment. He wishes that she can stay like this, stay happy and up out of bed for once.

When he's able to pull away, they sit in the living room, and quietly talk about it. It's a lot of silence at first. "Mom, I need to tell you something..." Tyler says softly and with a raspy voice. "Take your time, sweetie," she says with such a nice and soft tone that just makes you want to spill everything. Tyler can't look up at his mom though. She's so....different right now. She's actually listening to him. "Please don't be mad."
"...I'm not mad."
"Please don't hate me."
"I could never hate you, baby."
"I...I'm sorry."
"What did you do?" she asks with a monotone voice.
Tyler lets out a shuttering breath and just says it. "I—um-I—I I'm—uh—I'm gay..... Please don't be mad, okay? I just —" He stops mid sentence when he feels arms wrap around him again. 'She's so warm....but boney,' he thinks, feeling her arms around him.

He lets out another soft sob as he hugs her back, feeling the trembling taking over again. "I was just—....so scared to tell you—you... Barron—and some others—" he sobs out, cutting off his words. "They—they—humiliated me in front of everyone—not just one of my classes," he sobs. "I mean—t—th—the entire school!" He says in a hushed whisper as tears rolling down his cheeks continuously. The tears won't stop. "I've never been more humiliated in my—" He can't finish his sentence because he starts crying again. He's overthinking everything and what his mom is going to say. He's just so scared....

"That could never make me hate you, okay, Ty? Just because you like boys doesn't change the fact you'll always be my son. I love you, baby—"
"But Wha—what about...uncle?" Tyler sobs out brokenly feeling himself shaking quite badly now. His mom rubs his back in an effort to comfort him he thinks. Her hands are so...cold and boney now. "I'll talk to him." Meaning she'll bring up the idea and side with him with whatever he chooses. Just like always.... She's just a hollow shell of who she used to be. Easily manipulated by anyone with more of a mind then her. It scares him just how void of emotions she sounds every time she speaks. What if he ends up like her? After all, when their dad died. He got....sad. He can sometimes still feel that sadness berried deep down in his heart. Would Taylor still look up to him? He isn't sure he wants to think about that right now.

Would his mom spiral again? How bad is it going to be this time? And just how long is this nice....mood going to last?
"I don't think that's a good idea," he says fearfully. Just the thought of his uncle knowing makes him feel fear again but much worse then the entire school knowing he likes guys for some odd reason. The guy is always pushing for Tyler to be a real man ever since he dad passed. That's why he joined the baseball team instead of volleyball or Yearbook Club like he wanted.