The Forbidden Bite

Chapter 10: Best Friend Or Boyfriend?

I jumped awake and sat up immediately.  I was breathing heavily and looked around.  It was dark outside and the wind whipped around me.  I started shivering and pulled my jacket closer around my shoulders and waist.  I look up and see the tree branches whipping around frantically, it looked like a shot from a horror movie.  It was so dark all around me and the ground was hard underneath me, and I could feel the tiny rocks pushing into my pants.  I pull my iPhone out of my pants pocket and realize it's 1:00 am in the morning.  I look over and see Daniel laying right next to me shaking and shivering drastically.  I shook his shoulders and eventually he jumped up.

"What happened?"  He jumped alert and starting looking all around.  After realizing where he was his eyes got big with fear.

"It's 1:00am, I guess we fell asleep here,"  I stood up and heard the rushing of the stream behind me.  Daniel stood up and crossed his arms to get warmer.

"It's f-f-freezing out h-h-here,"  Daniel shuddered and took my hand.  We had to use our flashlight from out phones to walk back to our houses, it was a scary experience.  We both knew that coyotes were known to be spotted and heard at night, but we did not dare talk about it.  We pulled ourselves closer to each other, it sounded like rain was about to start pouring down any minute.  I looked up and saw cloud lighting radiating in the sky, I looked down and shivered again.  After about 15 minutes we were able to get back home and we were standing on my porch. 

"Hey I did have fun, Jack.  Even if we did end up falling asleep and having to walk home in fear," Daniel smiled.  Oh, that smile.  Every time he smiled at me, I just melted into liquid..  He always smiled at me but this time I saw something completely different, something I loved. 

"Me to,"  I said blushing.

"I would like to take you on a real date sometime."

"Ok when?"

"How about next Saturday, and I will take you on a picnic at Garden Of the Gods.  Get ready by 5:00pm, technically I can't "pick you up" since you live next door,"  He chuckled when he finished his sentence.

"Looking forward to it Daniel Whitelock,"  He just gave me another smile and gave me a small kiss on the corner of my mouth that made my chest explode.  He walked back to his house next door and looked back at me and winked.  I turned around and walked into my house as quietly as possible.  Once I close the door the light snapped on and made me jump and scream.  I turned around frantically letting my eyes adjust to the sudden flash of light.

"Be quiet,"  My dad snapped and glared at me.

"What are you doing down here?"  I said sounding annoyed.  He was sitting in a rocking chair in our living room.  He had a cup of peppermint tea sitting on the side table beside him.  I heard slight pattering on my window from the rain.  Thank God, me and Daniel got home in time.  my dad stood up and walked over to me, and I shrunk against the front door.

"First of all don't ask questions with that bitchy attitude.  Two, If you are going somewhere I want to know when you are going to be back.  Third, follow your curfew.  Now last but not least you do not make the rules around here, I do,"  He pointed to his chest with his pointer finger, and snarled at me.

"Dad you never have made me tell you when I come home before."

"Well to bad, it's a new rule.  Get used to it.  I'm going to be a much stricter parent from now on, because I'm sick of this attitude.  I'm not even going to ask you where you were because I know you will lie.  Now get to bed,"  Then he slapped me.  It wasn't as hard as the other time he hit me, thank God.  I knew it would still mark, and I still could feel the tears almost leak out of my eyes.  I ran up the stairs as quietly as possible.  I immediately went to bed and fell asleep almost instantly.  At school I knew that me and Daniel were going to have to avoid kissing or hugging each other.  I had only hung out with him for one day and yet I was craving him.  I'm so pathetic.

That next morning I didn't want to get up because school was hell and prison all at once.  Perfect combination.  I heard my alarm clock go off and drag myself out of bed.  I wore Daniel's Nine Inch Nails shirt and put a red jacket over my shirt so I wouldn't get in an argument with my parents.  I pulled on black skinny jeans, and brushed my hair.  I admit I didn't look to bad.  I walked downstairs and my mom and dad was lecturing Kennedy about eavesdropping....again.  I grabbed a Pop tart and headed to school, no hell.

I walked into the school, and felt the energy of all those kids bustling around me.  I walked to my locker and pulled out my Geometry book.  I looked all around the school taking in all the details.  The blue lockers and grey walls, all thee kids running around rushing to get to first period.  How do adults expect kids to grow up and take our own creative paths if they lock us in this prison for most of our life?  I was shaken out of my trance of thought when Richard starting waving his hand in front of my face.

"Hey dude,"  He smiled.

"Hi, Richard.  What's up?"  I started walking towards Geometry class.

"Um nothing, can't I just talk to my best friend without a reason.  What's gotten into you lately, first you have a breakdown at church.  Then you avoid me, what's happening to us?"  He said and stopped in his tracks.  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.  I wanted to tell him I was gay so bad, but I knew he wouldn't understand because he was also a Christion.  A part of me just wanted to hold on to our relationship as long as possible without my sexuality dangling over it.  

"Nothing but I have been out of it lately.  It has nothing to do with you Richard, but things have been tense with my family right now.  I'm sorry,"  I genuinely meant it to.

"It's ok, but you used to talk to me when things were happening with your family.  You act so different all of a sudden.  I just wish things were easier then being 17,"  I agreed, it wasn't easier being a senior.

"I know but we aren't in middle school anymore.  Life isn't easy, I don't think it ever was,"  Life is never easy, but as a kid you don't know that it isn't fun and carefree.  We walk into Geometry class and I see Daniel is already sitting beside my desk, and I can already feel myself blushing.  Richard looks over at me and gives me a confused look, I just shrug my shoulders and sit down.  I dare myself to look over at him and he is looking at me and is biting his lip.  He is so hot, why is he so hot?  I quickly look away so it won't look suspicious.  Once Geometry is over which feels like eternity, it ended after an hour of me and Daniel giving each other flirty looks and Mr. Burton droning on about parallel lines.  Next was Earth science.

In the science classroom they have long tables and two people can sit at each table at a time.  Usually me and Richard sit next to each other but then Daniel comes and sits next to me.  The science room looks like any typical science room with the periodic table picture taped to the wall and a skeleton standing in the corner.  Richard looks at Daniel and gives him a dirty look and looks at me confused.  I avoid his gaze and he goes and sits next to a girl that he has a crush on.  Once class starts neither me or Daniel has said a word all day to each other.  Suddenly I feel his hand brush up and down my thigh.  I tense up and grip the sides of the table, and hold my breath.  He keeps up the movement and then he brushes his hand across my crotch.  I jerk up other people stare at me.  I look over and glare, and slap his hand away.  He puts his hand back on my thigh and keeps it there the entire class.  This is going to be a long day.