Don't be Shy ✓

19. sneaking about

"So how do we do this?" Kaiden asked. Seb tugged on his lip with his teeth. He didn't know what to do. They were trapped in Seb's room, and Seb knew his mother would come to wake him up within minutes. She never allowed him to sleep very late on weekends. 

"I know what we shouldn't do... and that's about it," Seb replied. His mother would freak out if she found Kaiden in her son's room. He never had friends staying over, and she had never met Kaiden which made it even worse. 

"So, your mother..." Kaiden left the statement open. As if Seb would know what to reply. He didn't. 

"I really don't know what to say."

"Then I won't ask... not now. Do you think they'll see me if I sneak out through the window?"

"I don't know, perhaps."

"Why don't you go downstairs and get them to a place where they won't see me?" It was a simple plan, and most probably the best one. Once again Seb felt that he was a little bit stupid for not coming up with something like that himself. It was just so hard to think when Kaiden was around. 

"Yeah, I should do that," Seb replied, reluctantly getting out of the bed. It was time, and even if he wanted to snuggle into Kaiden's chest for a while longer, it wasn't going to happen. Not this time around. 

"So, you're grounded today?" Kaiden asked while Seb was popping his head through the t-shirt. 

"Yes..."

"So, are you allowed to have your phone?" Kaiden asked. 

"I think so, I still have it at least."

"Then I'll call you later." Seb smiled at that, basking in the joy of such a simple thing as a promise of a phone call. 

"I'd like that," he replied. 

"Then tomorrow, we'll see each other at school," Kaiden continued. There was a promise in those words, and Seb knew what it was. They were going to be open about dating each other. He knew it should scare him, but it didn't. Dylan and Zack were out, and they were pretty popular. Hopefully they would keep him safe. 

"We will," Seb replied. 

"So, how long do you need to get them away from the windows?" Kaiden asked, moving on to the matter at hand. Seb didn't enjoy the feeling of having to ask Kaiden to sneak out, as if he was someone who shouldn't be there. He wanted Kaiden in his room; he wanted him to stay. 

"I don't like this," Seb said, pouting with his pink lips. Kaiden sat up in bed, reached out for Seb and pulled him closer. Seb couldn't do much else than settle himself in Kaiden's knee, chest to chest. 

"Don't pout, cutie. It's okay," Kaiden said before placing a soft peck on Seb's lips. 

"No, it's not..."

"It is, just get down there, get your mother away from the windows and I'll hurry out." 

"What if something happens?" Seb said. He was worried, and he wasn't very good with keeping these feelings hidden. Everything Seb felt was visible on his face, or touced his voice. 

"What's the worst that could happen?" Kaiden asked. Seb thought for a while. The worst scenario was that his mother found out. She would most likely ground him, taking away his phone, computer, everything. However, she wouldn't ban him from school. He would be able to see Kaiden even if things went wrong. He realized that the worst case wasn't terrible. It was bad, but not bad enough to be whining like a little kid. 

"She'll ground me if she finds out, probably taking away my phone and computer, but I would still see you in school."

"See, it's not the end of the world."

"You're right..." Seb said at last, feeling slightly better. Kaiden smiled towards him, and Seb's stomach flipped over. It was kind of incredible how that could happen; such a strong reaction to a little smile. 

"So, talk to you later, okay?" Kaiden asked. 

"Yes, definitely!"

-----

Fifteen minutes later, Seb walked into his room again, finding it empty. There was no sign that Kaiden had been here apart from the open window. He looked out over the garden and breathed out a sigh in relief. It had been a successful escape. 

His mother had been relatively calm downstairs, but definitely still angry that he had misbehaved Friday night. His dad stayed in the library, which made matters easier. He didn't want to come between them, didn't want to see them fighting. 

Regardless of how much he wished his mother to be different towards him, he still loved her. He guessed that was what sons did. They loved their mothers, just as they loved their fathers. 

A soft knock sounded on the door. He opened it and let his dad inside. 

"That was a close call, Seb," he said. 

"Sorry, Dad. Thank you for helping out."

"It's alright. But I don't know what to say, you're young Seb..." He left the sentence unfinished. 

"We're not having the sex-talk, please?" Seb pleaded. 

"This is awkward," his dad continued. 

"Very."

"Just be safe, okay?"

"I promise, Dad," Seb replied, and he meant it. He didn't want his dad to be disappointed too. It was enough with his mother. "... and besides, I'm not that young."

"In my eyes, you'll always be young." His dad ruffled his hair with a big palm, and his cheeks flushed a little; he wasn't a kid anymore. "Will you introduce me to this guy at some point?" 

Seb didn't know what to reply. Of course he wanted his dad to see Kaiden, but right now it was too soon, or so he thought. "Not yet." 

His dad arched an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"We're not... well, we've just met, Dad. I can't scare him away yet."

His dad laughed at that. "You really think he would be scared of me?"

"I guess not," Seb replied, smiling. His dad wasn't very intimidating. He was the kindest there was, always saying the right things. Without him, Seb's childhood would have been very different. 

"Don't worry, Seb, I won't force you. I want to meet him though, and not to scare him away."

The door creaked open. 

"Meet whom?" Seb's mother said, stepping over the threshold. 

Seb became speechless. He wasn't good with lies, and he knew it... Moreover, his mother could read him like an open book. There was no way out of this.