ODDS OF LOVE : SEASON ELEVEN

Episode 129

" Alan , " his mother called from downstairs," come down to dinner. You haven't eaten since you came home from school. I know you are hungry. "

Alan ignored his mother. Just like she always ignored him. His mother, Ariel Kendall, the interior decoration queen to the stars and politicians alike. Everything had to be perfect for her including their Evergreen Acres home which looked like a palace especially inside thanks to her eye for color and flair and antiques. Luci had nearly flipped when she had first seen the house and it had embarrassed him so much. To him a home should be lived in and enjoyed. Not a mini Smithsonian. Her own house he preferred more. It was so warm and casual with an almost charming messiness. Fun , family, laughs and all those cats. His  mother would not allow him to have a pet. Even when he had cancer. He had begged for a puppy then and she said no.

Theodore had barely given any attention to the house though. After all he had lived in a Beverly Hills mansion once that probably made this place look like a hovel.  All his attention was to Alan himself. Theodore had acted like he really cared about what Alan said and thought and felt.

He crawled under his old Spiderman blanket and clutched his pillow tightly in his arms. Tear stains dried on his face even as they continue building in his brown eyes. He missed Theodore. He really did. When he got back home from school his first thought was of calling or texting him or chatting on FireBook. Like they usually did. But he couldn't. All he saw in his head was his boyfriend..... his now ex boyfriend kissing that idiot bully. He should have expected it. He did not have much experience with dating outside of hanging out with Luci and Alden who he had talked to before his family moved to Germany. What did he know about dating ? Or keeping anyone interested ? Like how Luci just ghosted him after the dance. He still didn't understand that and she never explained it. They just drifted into a sort of friendship like her time with him hadn't mattered. Maybe it had not with her.

Then Theodore kissed him. That incredible kiss. He probably should have known better after Theodore called kissing him a " mistake". And how he had ghosted him after the bombing when he lost his hearing. It was only a matter of time for Theodore to get bored with him.

Theodore was smart, talented, attractive with a strange flair of his own. Why would someone like him stay interested in him ? Boring old nice guy Alan Kendall. Barrington's Sweetheart. God. He hated that damn nickname.

He sat up. He needed to change his life. Find out who he was beyond being a nice guy who was destined to finish last and get left behind and ignored.

But what ? He didn't want to do what his mom did. As for medicine he didn't want to be a doctor like his father. Although he often thought about being a nurse one day. When he was sick and in the hospital a lot the nurses had all been so sweet to him.

He loved to write but his parents told him constantly that he couldn't make a real living as a" creative" type. So maybe that was out. Maybe.

Nursing or writing ?

He sighed. What difference did future careers make to him when all his mind could think about was Theodore?

He picked up his iPhone 15 and flipped to the photo gallery. All the pictures of Theodore or with him.

He gazed at the one of them at the art walk in Takoma Park.  Theodore and him had gotten ice cream cones, mint chocolate chip for Theodore and vanilla for him. But in that picture they had been more into looking at each other than eating the ice cream.

What should he do with the pictures ? He couldn't delete them. Not now. Maybe not ever.

What would Theodore do with the ones on his phone? Delete them and replace with ones with Kyle or another boy?

" Hey ," he heard from his open door way. He looked over at his brother Jeff. The one his parents really loved and wanted. He was finishing up senior year at eighteen and was going to Harvard in the fall. He already knew his future. He was going to study pre med and biology and then go on to med school. Their father was thrilled with Jeff and disappointed in Alan.

" You okay, little brother? You too quiet ? You have a fight with Theo or something? "

Alan sighed again. " Something like that. Look. I don't want to discuss it. Okay? Tell Mom my stomach hurts so I don't want dinner. "

Jeff watched his younger brother with narrowed eyes. " Whatever. But if you need to talk I'm here. And if that bow tied kid hurt you just tell me. Nobody hurts you. You're special."

As his brother left his room Alan sat up in amazement.

Special?

Him ?