Y O U T H (scomiche)

gay camp

"Hi Connie!"

"Hello, Mitchell. Come on in!"

I stepped into the large house and slipped my shoes off onto the mat. I looked up and saw Scott, waiting for me on the balcony area. I walked up the steps, feeling the soft carpet under my fresh socks, and followed him into his room at the end of the hall. I walked into his room, seeing the polo-khaki's duo from earlier in a pile on the floor, replaced by black sweatpants and a t-shirt. He grabbed the TV remote and turned on the tutorial of a video game.

This was always what we did when we hung out. We would usually be making out or talking about how much we loved each other, and it was very, very easy to hear each through the walls and vents, so we blared the tutorial with the video-game sounds so his family wouldn't suspect a thing.

Scott sat on his bed, resting against the headboard. He patted the spot next to me, inviting me to sit, which I did. I pecked his cheek and slumped my head on his shoulder.

"What's up? You said there was something you wanted to talk about." He sounded concerned. I sighed, never wanting to cry more in my life.

"My parents found out."

"What?" He said, almost emotionless.

"They found out about me."

"Oh my god. What have they said about it? How long have they known? Do they know about...us?"

"They don't know about us. They, honestly, didn't even have a suspicion of you. They're sending me to some camp in Kentucky that straightens your kids."

"Isn't that illegal?"

"Yeah, technically, but they just operate under the notion of being a church camp. My mom went to confessional and the priest slipped her a pamphlet about it."

"Bastard."

"Yeah. But, like, I leave tonight."

"How long are you gonna be gone?"

"A week."

"Why didn't I hear about it? A week is a long time."

"It's summer, so it's easy to go missing. I would have told you earlier, but they just told me about it this morning. They aren't telling the neighborhood because it would be quite the shame to have a gay kid, wouldn't it?" I jumped at the sound of the video game making gunshots. Scott hid a laugh and went to comfort me.

"So, if you disappear for a week, how do they plan to explain themselves? I mean, their kid can't disappear for a week and expect everyone not to notice."

""I'm grounded." Plus, I'll be back just in time for church next week."

"Sending you to any church camp should be punishment enough. I'm sorry you have to do that."

"Don't be sorry, please."

"I just wish you didn't have to. How did they even find out?"

"I left my computer on the kitchen counter, and when I stepped away to grab a drink, the screensaver went away while my dad walked in. He saw "THA BF" as a contact, with the most recent text being "I love you, you homo" on the screen and demanded an answer. I told him it was a joke, but my mom wanted to read the whole conversation, which she did.

"Did she read our-?"

"Yep."

"Even the conversation the other day about-"

"Yep. All of it."

"Oh my god. That's so invasive! Who do they think you were talking to?"

"I told them a guy I met from tumblr, which they believed."

"Nice."

"Yeah."

I wrapped my arms arms around his waist and leaned on him a little more, kind of like a body pillow, but a lot more comforting to talk with. He stroked my hair, kissing my temple every so often. I know it's silly, but every time he kissed me, I imagine little hearts surrounding me. Like, I'm black and white, and when we hold hands, I get a little more color each time. 

"Penny for your thoughts?" He said in between gunshot sounds.

"Oh, frustrated. Angry. Ugh."

"I don't blame you."

"I expect that penny now." He dug through the change jar on his nightstand, finding a shiny penny. He put it in my palm and wrapped my fingers around it. I let it sit there for a second, and brought it up to his face.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He laughed.

"Angry, frustrated."

"How original." I smiled as he put the penny back in the change jar.

"Oh! I found a song that made me think of you." He blurted out, grabbing his phone that had a pair of headphones already plugged into it. He handed me an earbud and I put it in. He turned up the volume just enough so we could hear it over the bombing's from the TV. The artwork, which he showed me, was a person dancing with sparks around them.

"What's this artist?"

"Wolf Alice. The song is called Bros." I listened to the lyrics closely. He grabbed my hand and locked his fingers with mine. About halfway through the second verse, my phone buzzed.

Nel Grassi: "Mitchell, come home now."

"That was quick." Scott said.

"I didn't exactly expect her to let me take my time."

"Why is it so funny that your mom's name in your phone is her actual name?" I laughed.

"You know, you're kinda right. Siri doesn't even know that she's my mother."

We waited for the song to end to stand up and say our goodbyes. Scott stood up after I leaped off of his lap, manually turning off the TV and game console. He wrapped his arms around my neck for a hug, and I rested my head on his chest.

"Can you sneak by later? I made you a playlist. I would've brought it here but if I didn't get out of the house when I did, Nel would've made sure I never left the house."

"Of course. Should I just go by your window?"

"Yeah, that'd be great. Text me when you're close."

"Of course." He kissed the top of my head again. 

"Hey, I wanna try something really quick."

"What?" I wiggled out of the hug and stood on his bed.

"C'mere."

"What are you doing?"

"You always kiss the top of my head, so I wanna kiss yours."

"Oh my god you're so weird."

"I'm your weird, get over here."

He, surprisingly, obliged. I hugged him around the neck and kissed the top of his head. He grabbed onto my waist harder than before and picked me up off of the bed. He kissed me on the nose before I could get too offended. My phone buzzed again.

Nel Grassi: "You better be halfway here."

"Okay, I really gotta go."

"Want me to drive you so you won't get in too much trouble?"

"Nah, it's fine. You probably want to finish summer work for AP English."

"You're more important than AP English."

"Not according to Connie and Rick."

"I'll drive you."

He grabbed the keys to his car and ran downstairs with me, slipping some sandals on.

"Mom! I'm taking Mitch home." Scott yelled to TV room.

"Okay, be careful sweetheart! It was good seeing you Mitch!" Connie yelled back.

"Byye!" I yelled back.