The Forbidden Bite

Chapter 7: Bleak

After my fight with my parents my life was just bleak. The next few weeks of school went by like a blur, and I couldn't stop it. I didn't have a job still simply because I didn't have the motivation to do it. Honestly, I didn't have the motivation to do anything. Getting out of bed was a difficult task. My school grades were slipping which is a problem since I'm a senior and graduating. So right now I'm sitting in my counselor's office, deciding my future. I don't even know if I want one.

"So have you thought about colleges?" Mrs. Peterson asked me while she was leaning back in her black desk chair. I avoided her gaze as I studied her office. I studied her walls which were covered in pictures of her three kids. Her office smelled like dead cat and armpit sweat so it was not relaxing in the slightest. She had three bookshelves set up against her wall on the hardwood floor. I sat in one of the two chairs on the opposite side of her desk staring at her pathetic haircut. I don't even know why I was so invested into studying the details in her office since I had sat here once a month for four years, but it seemed different. The cracks in her walls and her lines in her face showed age. I finally pulled my attention back to her question.

"I don't know," I answered, and I didn't lie. I honestly didn't know what I wanted to do tomorrow morning let alone for the next four years of my life.

"Your father and mother said you had your sight set on Yale," She raised her eyebrow as she held up a paper with my student information reading it.

"My parents had there sight set on Yale for me, not the other way around. I'm not doing what they want so there is no way in hell I will be attending any school they want," I said that without even thinking about it. It just rolled off my tongue, I didn't yell but there was definitely attitude. I regretted my choice of words and just slumped down farther in my chair with a pissed off expression strewn across my face.

"Please watch your language. Your grades are what really concerns me you have a perfect GPA and now your grades are slipping into barely average. How are you planning on fixing this?" Again, she leaned back into the chair and folded her hands across her stomach. I looked away and rolled my eyes, I didn't care. I didn't know when I started not caring, but I just didn't. I stood up quickly and grabbed my backpack.

"I don't know. I guess I just don't care what happens to me. Can I leave please?" My voice sounded way to needy.

"Yes, Jack," I started to walk out the door when her voice stopped me. "Don't give up because you have a hard life. I know people expect you to be perfect and I'm sorry about that. Just don't throw away a good future because your trying to prove them wrong. You may leave now."

I was ultimately shocked, she never talked to me like that. If she talked to me it was just questions and her facial expression never changed for four years straight. I noticed I was still standing in the doorway and she was completely ignoring me. I left and walked down the hall my mind was still reeling with confusion. I suddenly felt an arm wrap around my left arm and pull me roughly into a janitor's closet. I stumble in the dark and I heard someone shut the door, and then a dim light snapped on and I covered my eyes. I stood up straight and looked to see who manhandled me. It was Daniel.

"What?" I said kind of snotty. Another thing that has been failing in my life is my friendship with Daniel, and he noticed. I don't want people to pity me which is why I haven't told anybody. Not even Richard.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked with a lot of irritation.

"Nothing," I said and looked down at my shoes.

"Yes it is, and I'm not giving up because I care."

"No one cares."

"It doesn't matter if someone cares. I care," Daniel walked closer to me and I started to cry. It had to be the most embarrassing moment of my life, simply because we hadn't connected. We weren't that close even as friends and I never cry in front of anybody. Except my sister, so I can't believe this is happening. I'm still staring at my feet and tears are streaming down my face faster then I can wipe them away. It's like all the pent up emotion that I have felt these past few weeks. Suddenly I feel his hand on my chin lifting my face up to look at him, and his other hand took my hand in his. Daniel is 2 inches taller then me and I look into his midnight eyes.

Suddenly he leans forward and presses his lips to mine. I don't have any reaction at first simply because I'm so shocked, but I can feel his lips move against mine. I want to push him away and I want to hate this but I can't. I can't hate him. Suddenly, I start moving my lips against his. I can feel him start to smile, and all of my problems seemed to fade away. The kiss wasn't that deep but it was very passionate, and I couldn't stop this feeling from blossoming in my chest. Daniel turned his head and deepened the kiss, I let him. We finally had to break the kiss simply to breathe. We both were breathing very heavily, and looking into each other's eyes. I swallowed hard and then broke the silence.

"What just happened?" I said.

"I don't know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done anything," He takes a step back from me and pulls his hand away from mine. "I just took advantage of your situation, I'm sorry."

"Stop saying sorry. It's fine, I really enjoyed it," I said and then smiled at him. It was clear that Daniel was an experienced kisser. I could barely breathe, I was shocked about how I felt. I had such strong feelings during that kiss it caught me off guard. He had a sweet smile across his face. I knew I had to tell him the truth simply because he deserved it.

"My parents are kicking me out the moment I turn eighteen next month," I felt the shame sink in.

"Why?" Daniel asked me with a tender voice.

"Because I'm gay and because I got in a huge fight. I lost my temper and said that I was happy that I would turn 18 and be able to leave. I never expected that they would tell me I had to leave. I guess it's my fault," Tears threatened to run down my face. I felt like such a baby crying in front of the boy I just kissed. Daniel stepped closer to me and pulled me into an embrace. It felt like the kindest hug and I hugged back. I heard kids walking and talking on the other side of the janitor's closet and I knew I was going to be late to my next class. I didn't care because smelling Daniel's scent and tasting Daniel's lips, feeling his strong arms wrapped around me, I knew this is exactly where I wanted to be.