The Forbidden Bite

Chapter 13: Stomach Butterflies

As Saturday rolled around, I started getting more and more nervous. I was currently pacing around my room and biting my fingernails. It was now 4:00pm and I still didn't know what to wear or what to tell my parents. I had to come up with an excuse sooner or later, but the sooner the better. I threw on a blue turtle neck and a grey jacket. I decided to walk downstairs to talk to them, and noticed a family photo hanging on the wall. It was a trip to Disney World that we took when I was eleven and in sixth grade, we looked so happy. We looked like a real family. I sighed and went downstairs where my father was reading the newspaper and my mom was writing on her mom blog.

"Hey, mom, dad," I called out feeling very intimidated.

"What son?" My mom asked very casually.

"I'm going to the Garden of the Gods for dinner with a friend," I said shyly.

"What friend?" My dad lowered his paper so he could look me in eye, and I felt like I was shrinking under his gaze. It's like he could read my mind, and I blushed.

"A new girl from school, we are going on a date," The more my parents thought I was straight the better. My mom almost spit out her water and my father got a big grin. The grin that says "YAY, my son isn't gay anymore," I rolled my eyes in my head.

"Can I borrow the car?" I asked in a very monotone voice.

"Of course baby," My mom answered and she got out of her chair and patted my cheek. I felt horrible for lying to them constantly but what they don't know can't hurt them or me. I left and got in the car. I sat in the car for about 10 minutes rehashing what just happened. I let out a loud groan of irritation, and slammed my head down on the steering wheel. I felt like crying in a weird way, because it was very clear that my parents hated my sexuality. As I was driving to the Garden of the Gods, I was getting more and more frustrated with myself and my parents. Old feelings were coming back and these feelings were terrifying, feelings that I hoped I would never have again. Once I arrived there he texted me what parking lot to pull into. There was almost nobody there which was surprising since it's one of the most visited parks in America.

I saw Daniel sitting on a rock staring up into the sky, he looked really hot. Those feelings that I was feeling in the car suddenly dissipated. I felt safe, when I was with Daniel I felt safe. I didn't care if I was judged because we had each other. We are both still hiding things from each other, but we know it. We are okay with that for right now. How much you share with the other person depends on the relationship, and it will get stronger but for right now we are fine where we are. I needed him right now and I had a feeling that he needed me.

"Hey Daniel," I called up to him and he looked down and smiled at me.

"Come up here," He waved up.

"What if I fall?" I swallow thickly, even the thought makes anxiety ripple through my veins.

"You won't, here take my hand," He held out his hand and I still looked uneasy.

"Do you trust me?" We both knew that he was asking much more then just climbing on top of a rock. I shivered and thought hard.

"Of course I do," He smiled very wide at me. I took his hand and he basically pulled me up using all his strength. I noticed how fit he actually was, since I could see his abs through his shirt. I started biting my lip without noticing it, he just laughed breaking me out of my trance.

"Like what you see?" I started blushing.

"Totally," I answered. He pulled pizza out of the picnic basket, and I laughed. Most people do not put pizza in a picnic basket, but it was cute. I wasn't expecting that but I love pizza so it wasn't a big deal.

"What?" He asked me with amusement.

"You brought pizza in a basket," I continued laughing, I didn't know why I found this so amusing. Daniel just smiled, and he looked at me with such admiration and....love.

"I love your laugh," I blushed at the word love. Once I calmed down he started putting the pizza on a plate, it was pepperoni.

"How did you know my favorite pizza?" I asked.

"One of your Instagram posts has a picture of a slice of pizza and your caption said it was your favorite food."

"Now your stalking my Instagram?" I asked and raised my eyebrows jokily.

"Yes, completely. I love looking at pictures of you."

"And pizza," I added and Daniel laughed. I loved hearing him laugh, it seemed so natural. Once we started eating, we started talking as well. We just talked but we mostly laughed. Daniel told a few stories from his childhood which was really interesting. He sounded like he was lonely most of his life which would make since without friends or siblings.

"What's your coming out story?" I ask. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No it's fine, well I came out at 14. That was quite young but I always knew most of my life, I eventually accepted it.  My parents didn't take it real well at first, they were shocked but not judgmental. They were really excited when I got my first boyfriend. Fourteen was when I changed my appearance, I had long hair to my shoulders. I cut my hair and I started dressing very punk gothic, like now. I asked my mom for a nose piercing and she said sure, so I got my nose ring. At school I was very nervous but I came out to a few friends I had. Pretty soon the rumor got around school. These few jocks tried to beat me up but I beat them down first, and I broke one of there noses. I got suspended, and pretty soon my behavior got out of control. I loved the feeling of being dangerous and knowing that people were afraid of me. I know it sounds mean and it was. I got expelled twice and then we moved here from New Jersey, and my parents wanted me to have a fresh start. Your pretty much caught up now," I was so fascinated by everything Daniel, he was such a mysterious person to me. It's like opening up a gift and never knowing what you are going to get, I just stared at him with such admiration.

"My story is not that interesting," He laughed at me.

"Better then mine," I say, much happier to.

My hands are covered in pizza grease, and dust my hands on my jeans to get the crumbs off. I look up and realize that Daniel is just sitting there staring at me. His eyes linger from my head to my toes, and he stops at my legs. I start feeling very insecure as the wind picks up and blows through my hair. I push hair out of my eyes and I decide to break the silence.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I ask in a soft voice.

"Because your gorgeous," I wasn't expecting him to say gorgeous. I blush and he moves the pizza box out of our way, and he wraps his arm around me, I snuggle my head into his neck. Smelling a slight smell of cigarettes.

"Have you been smoking?" I ask and sigh.

"No but smoke lingers on clothes so don't be surprised if my clothes still smell like that," I feel him bury his head into my hair. He's stroking my back, and I look down and notice a necklace that he has. It's shaped like a lilac plant, and it's a rose gold.

"Where did you get that?" I ask with genuine curiosity.

"I um-uh-I-uhh- just got it from somewhere," I instantly pull back once I hear hesitation in his voice.

"Daniel, where did you get that?" I ask in a more demanding voice. His eyes shift, and guilt flashes across his face. I try to look in his eyes but he keeps turning his head away from me.

"What happened?" I ask. "I won't judge you, I promise."

"You don't know what I did," He answers. He sounds so weak.

"It can't be worse then things I've done."

"Don't be to sure," He answers.

"Where did you get the necklace?" I ask one more time in a stern voice.

"You want the real answer?"

"Yes."

"Fine, I stole it."