I'm Not Like Him [boyxboy]

Chapter 11

“My mom died when I was about seven, I think.” I scratch the back of my head, trying to recall other important things to tell him. “My dad turned into a raging drunk, slapped me around a little. He'd, erm, leave for days on end, leaving me to do everything on my own. I was probably around eight or nine. We moved around a lot, too. I never really had friends because of that. I mean, I knew people, just not long enough to form a solid friendship.

“I left school when I was sixteen, got a job and saved up to move out. I was not staying with him anymore. He told me I couldn't do it but I did. I'd been saving up for a few years which meant a few months of rent.” I stop talking, the ache in my chest getting harder to bear. I swallow hard and look up at River who hasn't said anything.

“Then, I got odd jobs here and there. Some were musical, some weren't. I bought my first guitar when I was fifteen and I taught myself to play in my free time. That was an 'escape', I guess. I think, when I was twenty, I met this girl. Her name was Joanne and she was nice. Jo was beautiful and I went out with her for about a year and a half, I think. Fuck, I was so in love with her.” I shake my head, looking down as I remember the way she sang, laughed and smiled.

“What happened?” I forgot for a second that I had company. His voice is gentle which makes me look up.

“She cheated on me, broke my heart and dumped me.” I shrug. “After all that time. All the 'I love you's' were obviously meaningless to her.” I scoff. “I moved out here to get rid of all the bad stuff. I was nursing a broken heart when Taylor came along. She made things better for a while, I guess. And now, here I am.”

“Here you are.” He smiles sadly.

“So, what about you?” I ask, looking at him pointedly. He hesitates a little before speaking.

“I grew up in different care homes nearly all my life. There's been that many, I've lost count. It absolutely sucks to be the new kid and yes, I can say that I've received several bruises on more than one occasion.” River chuckles sadly, holding his beer bottle.

“So, you don't know your real parents? Have you ever met them?”

“No, I haven't. The system is all I know.” He shrugs. “I grew up without parents or siblings. I don't even know who they are. The only thing I do have of theirs is my last name.”

“What is it?” I realise that I don't know his full name. Huh.

“Oh, it doesn’t matter.” He disregards as I narrow my eyes.

“River, what is it?” I pester, looking at him pointedly.

“Lake.” He mutters, hiding the smirk from his face.

“Wait, River...Lake? As in a lake?” I burst out laughing, not hiding the hilarity of his name. “Did your parents have some sort of water fetish?” What a stupid question. He doesn’t even know them.

He laughs along with me before I hear it die down. “I found a job in Detroit when I was about twenty. I lived there for a year before I found Jack. He wasn't my first boyfriend but he was my first serious one. I moved in with him later on that year and he told me that he had dreams of coming down here. The funny thing is I barely remember that time. All I do remember are the trips to the hospital and all the lying. Anyway, I went along with it and well, you know the rest.” River concludes.

“We've both had shit lives.” I note, swallowing my beer. He nods, standing up.

“We should go.” He speaks, wobbling a little.

“Yeah.” I agree, feeling slightly drunk. He steadies himself by holding onto my arm.

“Maybe we should get a cab.” He suggests, already getting his cell phone out.