Sins of the Flesh

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN-- The Time For Change

"We've been medicating everyday to keep the straightness in order."

Sadly, Oliver cannot find it in his heart to return to the friendship he had once shared with Blake. Two weeks have passed since the break up and it's still painfully difficult to look Blake in the eye. They barely speak at school now and they never meet up for coffee or anything outside of classes. The most they ever speak is during drama club, and that's usually only when the entire group is having some sort of debate.

It's terrible because he doesn't know if Blake is simply giving him space or actively avoiding him because he's too pissed to speak to him.

Oliver hadn't realized just how big of a part Blake had played in his life until he's just not there anymore. What's worse is that...Blake is there. He's right there, just a few locker doors away but Oliver doesn't know what to say.

The only way to escape Blake's presence is to either stay at home or be in church.

Being at church doesn't help all that much, considering all he thinks about during the sermons is Blake and how he used to ask Oliver to recite Bible verses from memory.

When he's at home, he just feels like he's going insane.

Especially tonight.

"How's school going?" his father asks at dinner.

"Fine."

As if his parents think he's blind, they share a pointed look across the dinner table. Oliver keeps his head down as he pushes a pile of mashed potatoes around on his plate.

"How are you friends, sweetheart?" his mother asks.

"They're fine."

"Oliver...your mother and I are worried about you. You've barely been eating and you don't go out with your friend Blake after school anymore. All you do is sit in your room."

Oliver shrugs.

"Have you ever thought about maybe going out on a date with one of the girls from school?" his mother asks. "I think a few of them go to our church. Going out might get you out of this little funk you're in."

"I'm not in a funk," Oliver says defensively.

"Then why have you been holing yourself up in your room? We haven't had Bible study in over a week, honey."

"We've been having Bible study every night since before I knew how to read, mom," Oliver sighs. "I don't think there's anything left to study."

"There's always more to study when it comes to God's word, Oliver," his father says.

"I'm tired of doing the same thing every single day!" Oliver snaps. "It's always the same thing! I go to school, I come home, we eat dinner, we have Bible study. On Sundays, we go to church, we come home, and then we talked about what we learned in church. For lunch, I have the same kind of sandwich every day. Why is it wrong to want to switch up the monotony a bit? I understand that you guys are super set in your ways, but I'm a teenager. I need change."

"You need stability," his father says gruffly. "Without it, teenagers are prone to falling into bad crowds and bad habits."

"I'm not saying I want to go out and get drunk and do drugs," Oliver states. "I just don't feel like doing Bible study every single night."

"If you want a bit of change, sweetie, why don't you go out on a date?" his mother presses.

"Why do you keep forcing that issue?" Oliver wonders. "You started doing it last year back in Missouri. Why is that so important to you?"

His mother looks taken aback when Oliver addresses her comment.

"We're not stuck in the stone age," she says simply. "We know how important dating is to a teenager's life."

"Well maybe there isn't anyone I'm interested in," Oliver points out. "The dating pool isn't that fantastic at Nixon. And back home, everyone felt like a sibling considering we'd all grown up together."

"What about Charlotte Lovelette?" his mother asks, looking far too excited for his own peace of mind. "One of her mother's friends goes to our church. I realize Charlotte and her mother are a different denomination, but I met her once and she seems like a very humble, sweet young girl."

Unable to think about his mother trying to set him up, Oliver snorts in disbelief.

"Yes, mother, she's very humble."

"You should ask her to dinner or-"

"Humble enough to get herself pregnant last year," Oliver adds flatly.

Oliver takes great enjoyment in watching his mother face crumble. Her hope for a possible girlfriend for her son dies on her face right before his eyes.

"Well," his father says, "that's unfortunate."

"Surely there must be – there must be someone else you're interested in," his mother prods. "We came here so you could have a fresh start a-"

Oliver's eyes narrow. His father's eyes widen and his mother's hand covers her mouth. His gaze flits back and forth between his parents.

Puzzle pieces begin to fit themselves into place.

"That's why we moved?" Oliver asks incredulously. "We moves to Maryland because I didn't – didn't have a girlfriend?"

"We were worried about you, Oliver," his father attempts to explain. "All of your friends were dating and you weren't. You were hardly showing any interest in any of your female classmates. We thought you were suffering from some kind of – of stunted, underdeveloped social growth because we were living in such a small town and there was no one new-"

"I can't believe this," Oliver grumbles, dropping his fork and cringing as it clatters loudly on the plate. "So all that stuff about wanting a change of scenery – everything you told me – none of that was true?"

"We thought it was what you needed, sweetie," his mother says.

He glares at her. Her tone of voice sounds pitying and it's nearly degrading to his sanity.

"Maybe what I really need is for you both to back off."

"What in the world has gotten into you?" his mother asks, a bit frightened. "You've never given us attitude like this. We raised you right."

"Just leave it," Oliver huffs. "There's nothing wrong with me."

"There's obviously something wrong," she says, "otherwise you wouldn't be moping around all day or speaking to us like this."

"Did you ever think that maybe you're the last people I want to talk to about anything?" Oliver asks. "Do you ever stop and think that I'm not a little kid who thinks his parents have all the answers? Do you ever realize that you're not God and that I don't have to tell you everything? I don't have to answer to either of you anymore."

His parents fall silent at his words. The clock in the hallway is ticking far too loudly and a headache begins to throb inside his skull.

"We aren't God," his father finally says in a deadly tone. "But we're still your parents. And you had best remember that we can punish you if you ever speak to us in that tone of voice ever again."

Oliver wants to make some rebellious, snappy statement. Instead, hot tears begin to well in his eyes, the angry ones that refuse to be swept aside until they've formed tear tracks on your face.

"Oliver, honey-"

"May I be excused?" he asks, voice scratchy.

"No, you may not," his father says decisively. "You will sit there and you will eat the food that your mother has taken time and effort to cook for you."

Oliver doesn't say another word. He eats the food on his plate, which has gone cold and tastes like ash on his tongue.

He has never feared God or the Devil as much as he fears father in this very moment.