Careless Talk

Skipping School

Paul didn't really wait for a reaction to the words before he turned away from John in shame for ever even saying those words. He pushed his palms into the side of the counter and let his head fall a little bit. He looked back up at John after a couple agonizing seconds. John was just continuing to dip the chips into the milkshake as if nothing was even said.

"John?" Paul asked tentatively. John shoved another chip in his mouth and turned to Paul.

"Hmmm?" John asked casually.

"Um-are you gonna-uh never mind" Paul decided not to finish the question, if John wasn't going to acknowledge that he had said it maybe he shouldn't push it. John continued eating but Paul just sat there swirling his thumbs around each other.

"Paul? Are you ok?" John pushed the milkshake over to Paul.

"Im fine, really" Paul smiled and put his lips around the straw.

John and Paul finished up their food and started to head out. As they turned down an empty street John threw his arm around Pauls shoulder. "You had fun today right?" John asked with almost a hint of concern.  Paul toyed with Johns fingers and looked up at him.

"Yeah, I did" Paul smiled and John leaned down to kiss him. "G'night" Paul mumbled against his lips. He was dreading going inside and having to face his dad.

"Goodnight Paul" John let go of Paul and strolled off, leaving Paul to walk the rest of the way to his home alone. He hopped up the porch and threw the door open before he could change his mind.

Jim McCartney was leaning his elbows on his knees as he sat on the chair as if waiting for Paul. And Paul was trying to swallow the lump in his throat. He tried to go past him and up the stairs

"Sit." His dad said in a stoic stern voice that sent chills down Pauls spine. He turned around and sat down across from his father with a grimace. "What in the hell were you thinking?"

Pauls palms were sweating and he attempted to wipe them on the fabric of his pants but it didn't help much at all. It only added to his currently growing list of neuroses. "I-huh well it's just that I-"

"Paul, is my son queer?" His father interrupted him with a question that Paul had been dreading and wasn't sure if he should answer honestly or provide a lie. But what was the best lie he could come up with having been caught snogging a lad?

"I think so...." Paul trailed that sentence off like it might just fade away into the air. His father leaned back into the chair with a face that didn't really show thinking but just anger. Paul wiped his hands across the hem line of his pants again.

"Dammit Paul!" He shot up from his seat but didn't leave the room, he just paced around the length of the wall with his hands running from his face to his hair. Pauls stomach was burning and had dropped when his father shouted. He was expecting this reaction but that didn't stop him from feeling bad.

"Dad I-"

"Where did you go after school? Were you with John?!"

"Uh- I was with him, yes" Paul wasn't sure why he'd admitted to that, he could have easily lied and said he'd been out with George.

"Go to your room, Paul. I don't want to see you leaving the house unless it's for school"

"But-"

"Go, Paul"

Paul gave his father one last look and shot upstairs with the starting drops of a few tears.
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George was waiting for Paul at his locker so he could hear the explanation as to why he hadn't met him outside his house. When Paul strolled up, his hair was tangled and his eyes were sunken with sleepiness. George uncrossed his arms and opened their locker. "Paul? Anything new with you?" George asked, trying to be subtle.