You're My Reason Why (Boyxboy) #Wattys2016

Chapter Three

(Ricky's POV)

I watched as Eric and his brother got into their car and drove off. I turned to Cam and glared at him. He started laughing and I rolled my eyes. "Dude, I can't believe you hit him with a book!" Cam said.

I blushed and said, "Shut up, it's your fault you can't catch."

"Well at least you finally grew a pair and talked to him."

"Yeah, because I had to fucking apologize! He hates me now!" I said.

"Calm down, I'm sure he doesn't just hate you. He hates the both of us," Cam laughed and I punched his shoulder.

"This isn't funny! He finally noticed me and I blew it," I said. The truth is, when I asked him if he went to my school I already knew he did. I see him everyday day at school, I'm not stalking him but we have lunch together. He's a year below me but is in some advanced classes so I see him in the junior halls a lot. I'm pretty popular even though I do get picked on for being openly gay. I've had a crush on Eric for the past year and a half. That's why it hurts so much for him to hate me. I've also noticed he hasn't been in school for the past week, he never misses school. It's bad, I'm worried about him yet I barley know him. Cam smacked my arm and I jumped.

"You okay, bro? You zoned out." I nodded and looked down at the ground.

"What am I going to do?" I mumbled.

Cam put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Now, now, little brother, I'm sure you'll find someone else to crush on. I mean, he's not even gay."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Of course I'm right." I rolled my eyes and he took his soda and went up to his room. I sighed and heard the front door opening.

"Hey, Dad," I said.

He smiled at me and said, "Hey, son. Did you get any studying done?" I laughed nervously and shrugged.

"Sort of, how was work?"

"Work was fine, your Mom called and said that she is picking up dinner." I nodded and dad looked at me. "What's wrong?"

"I think I blew it with Eric," I said.

"That kid you like? How?"

"Well, I sort of hit him with a book today. We were bored and playing catch and I threw it too hard and it hit him in the face. Then when he came over for an ice pack he acted as if he hated me," I said.

Dad had a thoughtful look on his face and said, "First, I won't tell your mother about you playing catch in a bookstore. Second, I'm sure he's a little pissed off but he probably doesn't hate you."

"Thanks, Dad, but he's never going to want to be friends with me, let alone have a relationship."

"Son, you have to be more like your brother." I rolled my eyes and he put his hands up. "Calm down, I'm not giving you the 'be more like your brother in everything' speech, I'm saying to not take no for an answer. You know how Cam gets, when he wants something then he gets it whether you like it or not." I thought about what he said and smiled.

"Thanks, Dad. I need to go talk to Cam." I ran up the stairs and knocked on Cam's bedroom door.

He opened it and said, "What?"

"Can you help me?"

He looked at me with a curious look and said, "With what?"

"I need to know how to not take no for an answer," I said. He smiled and opened the door wider so I could come in.

"It's not that hard. All you have to do is annoy them until they say yes."

"But would if they end up angry instead of annoyed?"

"If that happens, then give them a guilty look and say sorry in a really quiet voice with tears in your eyes. They'll feel bad for yelling and then they'll do whatever you say. At least it works for me." I smiled and nodded.

"Okay, thank you," I said and walked out of his room. I ran into my room and started planning what I was going to do tomorrow.

(Eric's pov)
I walked out of my room and went downstairs where Mom and Connor were. Mom jumped up from her seat and took my face in her hands. "What happened?!" she said. I quickly thought of an excuse.

"I didn't have my glasses on and ran into a pole." I shrugged like it was no big deal and she sighed and shook her head.

"Oh, Eric. What are we going to do with you?" I laughed a little bit to show her I was fine. "Well, I'm going to get dinner ready." She walked out of the room and Connor turned to me.

"So, did you write down some reasons?"

"I got one down."

He smiled and said, "What was it?"

"That'd I'd crush mom's heart," I said and he nodded.

"That's a start," he said. I nodded and we went into the kitchen to help mom with dinner. Dad was still at work but I'm kind of scared to see him when her comes home.

"Honey, you okay?" Mom asked. I woke up from my daydream and nodded slowly.

"Do you think Dad hates me?" I whispered.

Mom looked at me in surprise and said, "Honey! Of course not! He just feels guilty, that's why he hasn't talked to you." I nodded and that's when I heard the front door open. Dad came in the kitchen and was looking anywhere but me. Mom walked up to him and whispered something. Her and Connor walked into the living room, leaving Dad with me.
"Eric, we need to talk," he said. I swallowed down a lump in my throat and nodded. He sat down and put his head in his hands. "Eric, I don't hate you."

"Really? But you haven't said a word to me since I got home." He sighed and shook his head.

"I haven't said anything because I don't know what to say. My son just tried to kill himself and it's all my fault," he said.

"It's not your fault, Dad."

He slammed his hand on the table and said, "Yes it is! You told me what you were going to do and I just pushed it away. I should've called someone, I should've talked to you."

"But that doesn't matter now, Dad," I said. He looked at me and smiled.

"Are you really not mad?" Dad asked. I thought about it and shook my head no.

"No, I'm not mad. It's in the past," I said. He smiled and got up. He hugged me and I smiled, happy my dad finally will be there for me. Mom and Connor came in and dad smiled at them. We ate dinner and then I went to my room to finish some homework that mom picked up from the school.