I'm Not Like Him [boyxboy]

Chapter 22

This chapter is mostly a conversation between the pair, talking about feelings and stuff. Who doesn't like that?

Also, I think it's ending soon. I don't know when but soon-ish.

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Kellin looks at me, his eyes blazing, and plays a few chords on his guitar.

“Look, if you have a problem, just tell me,” I snap, glaring at him.

“You know what my problem is, Alex. Why am I here?” He asks flippantly.

“Because John said I can’t get rid of you until the single is released, that’s why,” I sneer, shaking my head at him.

“Does he have to be here?” Elliot points at River (who has a day off today because of some refurbishing going on in Eddie’s) and makes a slight face.

“Alright, guys!” Isaac pipes up, trying to keep the peace.

“Yes, actually. He has no reason not to be here so just sit down, shut up and play your fucking drums,” I spit, glancing at River who’s smirking and trying to hide it.

“Guys, can’t you just shut up for one second? If you don’t like it, don’t look at it,” Isaac advises sternly, the only level headed one in the group.

“Whatever,” Kellin mumbles, launching into a song before anything else can be said.

We play a few songs and it feels normal and River’s grinning from ear to ear, calling me over to press a kiss to my forehead. Kellin and Elliot make grunts of disapproval but I ignore them, really not in the mood to make this bigger than it already is.

“Okay, so we have the first radio show next week and I expect you all to get there on time, alright? Remember, we’ll be a lot closer to what we want by the end of it.”

“Yeah, I can’t wait,” Elliot muttered. God, I’m close to giving him a good beating.

“Alright,” the voice of reason speaks, “we’ll leave you two to it. Come on, guys.”

The door shuts behind Isaac and I turn to face River who rolls his eyes, “is it like this all the time?”

“Pretty much,” I sigh, sitting on the couch and patting the space next to me.

River walks over and smiles a little before he puts his head in my lap, his hand grabbing my own and sighing in content, “don’t worry about them, they’re not going to be around forever.”

“I know, they’re a waste of skin,” I speak bitterly, frowning.

“Alex, don’t say that!” he admonishes, turning his head to look at me.

“How are you so calm about this? Doesn’t what they say hurt?”

“Of course but you can’t dwell on it. Look, the amount of abuse I’ve got with growing up in care and being depressed plus being gay, I’ve learnt that there is no point dwelling on people who spend their life full of hate.”

“Am I overreacting?”

“Of course not. Just because I’ve learnt how to deal with it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t say anything. People like Elliot and Kellin need to understand that they’re in the wrong,” River says bluntly.

“When did you know you were gay?” I ask him unexpectedly.

“Um, I think I really always knew. But the first time I really felt something for someone was when I was sixteen years old. He used to come to the care home I was at and do workshops with us every Wednesday. He was twenty two years old and he was so different, very understanding and he would listen to all of us individually. I thought I was in love with him but of course, looking back at it now, I wasn’t. Besides, he left suddenly. I never saw him again after that,” River shrugs, a ghost of a smile on his face.