Strawberries and Stolen Kisses (boy x boy) [COMPLETED]

18.

Sam woke up with a cold sweat. Even though he had so much confidence last night, it seemed to have all disappeared while he was sleeping.

He grabbed hold of his sister as she passed and shoved her in to his room.

"I need your help"

Paige was ready "ok shoot Sammy-boy"

Sam would normally have narrowed his eyes at such a name but he was distracted "I'm telling mum and dad. Now"

"Wait now, now?" Paige was worried

"I can't lie anymore Paige" he looked at her desperately "mum is always away and you are going to uni... I need to do it now"

Paige's heart softened to her younger brother's pain "Let's go"

She pulled Sam down the stairs and sat down at the dining table where her mother and father already sat. His mum stood up immediately as they walked in.

"Sam? Do you want some tea?" Sam's mother bustled around "Oh dear you look ill! Do you have a fever?" She grabbed his face, feeling his head.

"No mum get off! I need to talk to you, both of you"

Sam's mum sat down, she was desperate to find out what was wrong- Sam had been so much happier lately. His dad put down his paper and studied his son carefully.

Sam couldn't handle the silence and heard himself speaking before he was aware he was "I think I'm gay" Sam's jaw trembled. "No I don't think I am, I am gay... I'm gay"

Sam's mum was silent. Shocked at her son's outburst. She started to fumble with words "You can't be! I know my own son! This is so unexpected... Are you sure?"

Sam's eyes started to fill with tears and Paige put her arm around him.

"I'm proud of you"

Sam was shocked when he found out who had spoken. His father raised his voice. "I'm proud of you son"

Sam's eyes overfilled and the tears started pouring down his face "you are?"

"I'm proud that you love us enough to share this with us. We love you so much that we just want you to be happy. If there is one thing you have been in the recent months, it is happy. You were so quiet and shy that I thought you were in pain but I didn't know what was wrong or what to do. Now it seems you have found your place and I've never been so happy for you"

Everyone was crying at this point, Sam had never heard his father say so much. It was all too much and Sam couldn't stand the atmosphere any longer.

He ran up to his room and slammed the door. Trying to make sense of his head. At least his dad and sister loved him, even if his mum didn't.

Sam glanced up to see his dad had entered "She loves you, you know. She is just worried"

Sam glanced away "thanks dad"

Sam's dad paused before leaving "I love you, Sam"

"Love you too, dad"

Then he heard some shuffling and his mum moved into the room "oh Sam I'm so sorry. I know I've not been a good mother and now I've messed up even more"

Sam watched her "you haven't been a bad mum, I just wish you accepted me"

Sam's mum started crying "Yes I have. I was just upset that I knew so little about you... a mother is supposed to know these things. I don't care at all who you love, I'm just sad about how distanced this family is"

Sam took his mum's hands "Mum it's ok!" Sam hugged her

Sam's mum hugged him back "I was just worried you would be bullied, I don't know what I'd do if you were hurt"

Sam thought back to Liam's experience "I promise if anything happens I will tell you"

Sam's mum wiped her tears and kissed Sam's cheek. Sam's dad and sister entered, feeling that the misunderstanding was resolved.

Sam's dad kissed Sam's mum on the head and Paige sat on the other side of Sam. The Carsons had never felt so close, even after all that Paige had gone through.

"I love you all" Sam choked out.

"We love you too, Sam. And we accept all of you ok. Nothing more, nothing less" Paige added. Paige was sad that it took something like this for the family to get back together but she was glad that it had finally happened.

Sam, feeling brave about the warm atmosphere of the room blurted out "I've applied to a writing competition"

Sam's mum was surprised but happy "I'm so proud that you entered! You're so talented Sam, I just never thought you cared about it that much"

Sam was surprised at his mother's words, he had guessed that she never noticed his works.

The Carsons realised they knew little about each other and spent the morning telling each other trivial things that had been going on in their lives.

Sam told them about Holly and Chris, and Emily and Yuna. Paige told them about a boy she might like who she had met on one of her uni's open days.

They had never felt closer, their dad even started a rant about on of the new blends of tea he had seen on the shelves, complaining that these new ages will make anything and brand it as tea.

The Carson's laughed and made lunch, eating together for the first time in what felt like years.

They had cried and they had laughed, and finally after years of distancing, the family actually felt like a family again.

Sam even made a Victoria sponge cake for them to eat, wanting to do something to stop his hands from shaking with adrenaline.

He thought about Liam suddenly and looked at the clock on the wall. Shit it was past two. Liam must be so worried.

He put three slices in a cake tin and went into the living room where his parents and sister had settled to watch TV.

"Is it ok that I go out for a bit. I promise I'll be back for dinner"

Sam's parents glanced over at him "Are you going to see someone?"

Sam paled "ah yes. I forgot to tell you... I've kind of got a boyfriend" Sam felt really bad now "I thought it would be too much at once to tell you I'm so sorry! It's really recent I promise I haven't been lying to you"

Sam's mother smiled "Is this boy why you've been so happy?"

Sam grinned "Yeah... he is pretty special"

"Then we must meet him" Sam's smile dropped at his mother's words "next Saturday invite him to dinner"

Sam's mother shooed him out of the house before he had time to reply. Well. Sam was royally screwed.