Don't be Shy ✓

14. dealing with the dragon

Kaiden turned the wheel and drove onto Seb's street. As requested he stopped the car a few houses away. The ride had been awesome; Kaiden played some nice music, they talked, they were relaxed, but the atmosphere shifted as soon as they stopped. Seb didn't want to meet his mother if she was in one of her fits about his behavior. He looked at the time; it wasn't so late, perhaps the guests would be there. He hoped they would. 

"I had a great time tonight, Sebastian," Kaiden said, and Seb startled at the sound; he had been far away in his thoughts.

He gave Kaiden a shy smile and mumbled: "I had great time too, thank you!" He turned to pull the handle, but Kaiden reached over and pulled Seb in for a soft, lingering kiss. It was mostly lips, moving together in a yearning struggle. It was a kiss that none of them wanted to end. It was the kiss that held the desperation of two boys that didn't know what would happen after Seb walked out of the car. Nothing was certain, nothing was set in stone. 

They broke the kiss when Kaiden's phone sounded throughout the car. 

"Shit, I really need to get going."

Seb couldn't help but feel disappointed, even if he knew this was coming. They couldn't sit her all night, even if he wished that was the case. 

"Of course, I'll be getting out."

"Seb," Kaiden interrupted. "I'll call you tomorrow." 

Feeling a lot better after those words, Seb smiled and got out of the car. The air outside was a lot colder all of a sudden, damp and grey. The streetlights showed small little droplets falling from the air, but he couldn't feel them hitting his skin. He hated this kind of weather. It was as if the sky couldn't make up its mind. Grumbling, he looked back at the car and saw Kaiden turn and drive away. He waved, and got a wave in return. It helped, not much, but it certainly made a difference. 

Kaiden... they had been on a date. One part of him couldn't believe it, while the other part danced around in happy circles. But despite how awesome it was, his mother had managed to put a damper on it. 

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he sighed. It was probably his mother or his dad, and right now he didn't want to see what they wrote. He just wanted to get it over with. 

He walked along the sidewalk and up to the house. The lights were turned off inside, so the guests were long gone. His stomach churned as he opened the door, fearing what he would encounter on the other side. It wasn't like he would be abused -- she never hit him -- but sometimes words cut like knives. 

"You were not allowed to go!"

He stopped in the doorway, not entirely inside yet, and she was already on a roll. He didn't know what to answer. He knew she had said no, but on the other hand, his dad had said yes. The problem was that he didn't want to put his dad through trouble. 

"I know," he replied. It was no use making any counter-attacks when she was in this mood. It was better just to ride it out, listen to her angry words and try to shut them out. Or at least, that's what he told himself. It wasn't that easy to forget what your own mother told you. Not when she was the one who was supposed to love you more than anyone else. 

"You know, and yet you disobey me. Trisha was a lovely young girl, and she was very disappointed that you weren't here."

She was playing the guilty card, but that was easy to wave away. He hadn't asked his mother to invite a girl she thought would be a great future wife. No, he had spared both him and this Trisha an awkward evening. 

"Mother, I'm sorry," he said, even if he wasn't particularly sorry. The only reason he was sad was because she was angry; he didn't think he deserved it. 

"Leave the kid alone, Marion," his dad said, coming down the stairs. He was still dressed in a pair of slacks and a dress-shirt, clearly they'd been waiting for him to get home. 

"Stay out of this, Patrick!"

"He's my kid too. I allowed him to go out with his friends, because now when he finally found some, we shouldn't take them from him." His voice was thick with authority. Seb had never heard him speak to his wife like that. He usually tried to pacify her, not anger her further. 

"We had a dinner, I had invited their daughter for his sake, and this is how he repay me. No, I won't let him get away with this. And you," she yelled, wagging her finger in the air, "you shouldn't have interfered."

"Marion, stop this!"

Seb didn't know what to do. He had never heard them argue like this before, and it felt awful to be in the middle of it. He had put his dad in this position, and that knowledge wasn't pleasant. 

"Go to your room, you're grounded for the rest of the week!" his mother spat.

He scurried away, desperate to be as far away from her as possible. Right now he didn't care if he got grounded. As long as he didn't have to listen to her anymore... 

Rushing into his room, he closed the door behind him. No banging in the door, just a silent shove and a click. He didn't want her to come up again. 

He snatched his phone from his pocket to check the time. He saw a message sign in the corner and recalled that he'd received one as he left Kaiden's car. Debating whether he should open it or not, he changed into his PJs. In the end, curiosity won. He opened the message, and smiled. 

Thank you for tonight, cutie. Feels good to be taken ;) xx

Seb read the message over and over again. Each time more butterflies started to dance around inside of him. He clutched the phone to his chest and almost started to cry. It was silly, and he knew it. But all that tension just seemed to leave his body. It had been an exhausting night, but it had ended in the best way possible. 

He couldn't believe it was true.