Snuggles was walking home once again but not alone. Oxi was by his side. He heard about what happened recently and he too wanted to make sure that Snuggles was safe. There was mostly awkward silence while they were walking. Snuggles kept kicking a poor rock down the sidewalk, trying to distract himself. He got so distracted he eventually tripped. Oxi caught his arm. "Are you feeling okay Snuggles?" He picked himself up and looked into Oxi's eyes, but shook the emotion he felt away. "Yeah, I'm fine," he lied. Oxi didn't believe him but decided not to pursue it.
"Soo..." Oxi said curiously.
"Yeah?" Snuggles replied softly.
God Snuggles, how awkward can you get?! Snuggles thought.
"Tide is a nice boyfriend." Oxiclean said, trying to make conversation.
"Yeah, he is a lucky detergent." Snuggles said reluctantly.
"Is something wrong? Don't tell me you're homophobic..."
"NO, not at all, I'm- I'm really happy for you, it's just...."
"Just what? You seriously need to tell me. I'm worried about you."
"Nothing, nevermind." Snuggles reassured. "It's fine don't worry about it."
They walked the rest of the way home in an awkward silence. It was this way until they arrived at the Snuggles household and had to say goodbye.
"Thanks for walking me home Oxi..." He said, walking up the stairs to his house.
More awkward silence.
Snuggles took a huge breath and turned. He looked Oxi in the eye and kissed him really quickly. Before he saw Oxi's reaction, he closed the door he let out a huge breath that he had practically been holding the entire time.
"Soo..." Snuggles heard a voice call from the living room. "Why are you home so late?"
"Heeeeyyyy mom." he dragged, trying to be slick. "I was just... studying. Yeah, I stayed at the library a little longer with-"
"You were with those two boys Oxi and Tide, weren't you?! I heard that they were dating and that is just completely disgusting." He had forgotten that the rest of his family, basically just his mom, was homophobic. If they figured out that he just kissed Oxi, he'd be kicked out of the house.
Snuggles decided to come clean. He couldn't lie to his mom and he'd rather live a life where he didn't have to lie about who he was, than have a parent to hide from. Plus, he was never a good liar.
"Yeah, I was hanging out with them but we were studying." He replied to his mother.
"You need to stop that now. Find some new friends. How about that Great Value Bleach girl, she seems nice." She suggested to Snuggles. He gave her a 'heck no' look. She then proceeded to grab him by the shoulders and say sternly, "You know we don't like... their kind... Stay. Away." She pulled back and ruffled his hair, trying to lighten the mood.
The room went very quiet for a couple of seconds and very faintly, Snuggles confessed, "Mom. I honestly don't know how to tell you this. All I can say is that I love you very much and I forgive you if you want to get rid of me." Snuggles looked down.
"What are you trying to say...?" His mom kneeled down to look her son in the eye but he refused to look at her.
"Mom..." She already knew. He didn't have to say the words. He peeked at her face to see her reaction but all he found was an empty face.
"I am disowning you," she said.
"Haha mom, I know you don't mean it... I'm so sorry."
"I'm not kidding, get out of my house. You're not welcome here until you are fixed." She said getting up and shoving him towards the door.
"Mom?!" Snuggles panicked, "You don't mean it, do you?!" His mom gave him a hard and dead look.
"I DON'T NEED YOU." He shouted, his eyes started watering. "YOU'RE A SAD EXCUSE FOR A PARENT! IF YOU AREN'T READY TO ACCEPT THAT I MIGHT BE DIFFERENT, YOU DON'T DESERVE TO HAVE ME!" and with that Snuggles stormed out the house slamming the door behind him.
He covered his face with his sleeve to hide all the oncoming tears. He felt so horrible. After his twin sisters and father died in a small plane crash, only he and his mom were left... and he lost her too. It began to rain. Typical, he thought. The tears streaming down his puffy face mixed with the pouring rain made it impossible to tell the difference.
