You Can't Choose (BoyxBoy)

Chapter Six

As soon as he got in the car, his mother was on his ass about checking his phone. It really wasn't the best way for her to be bonding with him after the whole divorce and affair thing, but at this point, Collier was just happy that his mother wasn't sucking up to him.

"You're right," he said, his voice flat. "I'm sorry".

He really wasn't. He wondered how many extra minutes he had gotten to kiss Henry while his mom sat outside. By how big of a deal she was making out of it, Cole would have guessed about twenty years, though now that he looked back at it, only felt like a matter of seconds. A matter of very amazing seconds.

Collier had given his first kiss to Henry Stone, and he had enjoyed it. Thoroughly. He wasn't really sure what that meant yet, but Henry didn't seem to be making a big deal out of it.

Still, he'd have to at least ask Henry about it, even though the idea of doing so caused his stomach to turn.

But despite the nerves, Collier realized he desperately wanted to go back the next day. "Mom," he began, interrupting her scolding, "could I go there tomorrow after school? I'll walk since it's not too far from the house".

Ever since they had left, he was paying very close attention to the route, and by the time they pulled into the driveway of his house, he had it down.

"Absolute not," his mother snapped, shutting off the car. Collier's eyes widened.

"What-"

"Cole," she interrupted, her voice incredibly timid now. "I've been meaning to talk to you about something". Collier really didn't want to speak to his mother, not after she just told him no,  so he kicked open the passenger side door and made a move to climb out. "Collier, it's about my boyfriend".

He froze, and immediately wondered why. Why should he care about his mother's new relationship? It didn't really effect him at all.

But still, he couldn't stop himself from asking, "what about him?"

"Ronald and his son will be moving in with us tomorrow". Collier could swear he felt his heart stop. All his giddiness from kissing was gone, and he was left with the empty feeling that he had been trying to ignore for the past two days, though now it somehow felt vaster. It had been easier to pretend that his mother's relationship with this other man, this Ronald, was nothing but a fling, but now that he had plans to move in with them, he could no longer deny it.

His mother had fallen in love with another man.

"Did you ever care for dad?" Cole snapped, turning back to her with a glare. "For even a second?"

She looked pained as she nodded her head quickly. "I did love him".

"You sound like you're trying to convince yourself that".

"Collier, I wouldn't have married him if I didn't love him," She responded, reaching out to grab his arm when he moved to leave the car. "Cole, your father and I weren't happy together. It wasn't just me".

"Was he unhappy before or after he found out you were cheating on him?" Cole spat and his mother's blue eyes dropped in guilt.

"Cole-"

"Whatever, mom. I don't really care," he lied, shaking her arm off and finally freeing himself from the car. He slammed the door shut behind him and stomped to the front door before realizing he didn't have his own key. Huffing, he crossed his arms and looked up at the light above the mailbox so he didn't have to watch as his mother approached him.

"I'd really like you to be here tomorrow, Cole. To welcome the family". Cole scoffed as his mother fiddled with her keys, taking her time in finding the correct one to delay them going into the house and him locking himself in his room. "That's what they will be to us. Family. Ron and his son will be living with us, and I'd like you try to be nice to them. His son is your age, and I think you two will get along if you're open to it".