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"YOU'RE SURE YOUR MOM is okay with you staying here?" andie flipped the pancake and placed the spatula on the counter. she wiped her hands on her apron and grabbed cups from the counter, placing them on the table in front of chase and the empty seat across from him.
chase watched as she walked over to the fridge and pulled out orange juice. "yeah, she understands why i don't want to be home."
"we all do." tom's dad entered the room. he kissed andie once before saying his goodbyes.
it had been almost a full week since chase was home and tom's parents understood the situation, so they allowed him to stay at their place. he was, however, moved to the guest bedroom because they didn't want the two of them sleeping in the bedroom together (little did they know that they had already done that a few times).
andie placed the finished chocolate chip pancakes on chase's plate and smiled at the boy as he thanked her. she made herself pancakes and sat across from him. the two sat in a comfortable silence and ate their food. tom was in class and chase had off since his spring break started that day.
"do you and tom have any plans for spring break?" andie questioned, taking a sip of her orange juice.
chase shrugged his shoulders, "i don't think so. he hasn't suggested anything." he cut off a piece of his pancake. "my family usually takes a vacation, but i don't think i'm going with them this year."
tom's mother watched as the younger boy shoved the pancake in his mouth with a slight frown. "why don't you have your mom stop by after work today? i can formally meet her and maybe you and tom can both go on vacation with them. just stay away from alec and whatever other siblings don't approve of your guys' relationship. i'll pay for everything tom needs."
"really? you'd allow that?" chase questioned.
"of course. tom needs to get away anyway. he's needs at least one last vacation before he moves to maine in the fall."
chase stopped eating and glanced over at andie, speaking with a mouthful of food. "maine?"
"did he not tell you?" andie furrowed her eyebrows. "he's going to finish school in maine."
the brunet's heartbeat slowed down and he felt like weights were beginning to rest on his shoulders. "no, he didn't. he hasn't even talked about graduation this year."
"oh," she frowned, "don't let him know you heard that from me then. i guess he doesn't want many people to know." chase looked down at his food and frowned, completely losing his appetite. "sweetheart, you guys will be fine. he only has two more years of college and then he'll most likely be back home. you can come with us to visit him for holidays if you'd like. we're going to him instead of him coming to us."
"i just remembered i left a few things at home." he stood up and left his plate on the table. "thank you for breakfast. i'll talk to my mom and see if she wants to come over to meet you later today. they leave on sunday."
she understood why he was suddenly going crazy and simply nodded at him. he walked to the guest bedroom and grabbed his duffle bag before heading out the front door. as he walked down the street he pulled out his phone and text alec, did you know about maine?
he had walked for a good ten minutes before he received an answer, i didn't want you to get hurt.
chase angrily shoved his phone in his pocket and continued the walk home. when he arrived he went straight to his room, ignoring everyone's stares.
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tom was confused. chase's bag was gone and the house was quiet. he made his way to his parent's room and knocked twice before opening the door. "do you know where chase went?"
andie sat up more and placed her book down. "he went home." she sounded unsure.
"why?" tom asked, "what did you do? what did you say?"
his mom sighed, "it may have slipped that you were going to maine in the fall. he wasn't very happy."
tom's eyes widened, "why the hell did you tell him that?"
"well, when were you planning on telling him, thomas? you leave in a little over four months. were you not going to tell him until the day you left?" she shook her head. "i knew you'd break that boy's heart. he's just a kid, tom."
"he's not just a kid!" tom shouted. "he's—" he paused, his voice lower. "he's not a kid." he let it a sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair. "i'm gonna go talk to him."
"i'm sorry, sweetie. i didn't intend to hurt either of you." andie frowned.
"i know." tom gave her a nod. "i'll be back later."
he didn't know why he didn't tell chase about maine. it never came up in a conversation and now he didn't want to leave the boy anyway, but tuition and rooming was already paid off and he didn't have a choice.
tom normally would've let himself in the oxlem household, but he didn't think it was a good time to do just that. as he rung the doorbell he shoved his hands in his jean pockets. alec opened the door and tom stumbled backwards, nearly tripping over his own feet.
alec simply rolled his eyes and opened the door more. "he's in his room."
"listen," tom began, "i'm sorry about.... everything."
"i get it," alec nodded, "but now my little brother's hurting and i hate seeing him that way."
tom pursed his lips. "i know. my mom sort of told him." he looked at the ground. "i feel like a dick. i shouldn't even go."
alec shook his head. "it's not your fault you want to go there. it's just your fault not nit telling him sooner. he's in his room." he gestured for the boy to walk in and tom thanked him.
"are we good?" tom asked, slightly nervous.
"we're good." the redhead nodded. "sorry about your eye, by the way." he looked off in the direction of chase's room. "just be gentle with him. he may seem like a complete badass that doesn't give a shit, but he is so easy to break."
tom nodded and headed towards the younger boy's room. he gripped tightly on the doorknob and took a deep breath before walking in. chase was sat on his bed with his knees to his chest and tom felt horrible. he closed the door behind him and walked over to the bed, taking a seat next to the blue eyed beauty. "can we talk?"
chase shifted and let his legs stretch out as he crossed his arms over his chest. "sure."
