The Closet Chronicles

9. I Can't Take This Anymore!

As we walked out of the office, my mom was looking around. Finally, she seemed to spot what she was looking for.
"Isn't she pretty, Jamie?" she asked me, pointing at a petite brunette in short shorts walking down the street.
"She is good looking," I replied. In my head, I was thinking that just because somebody is good looking, it doesn't mean that I liked them. I could appreciate if someone was hot, but I didn't have to fall for them.
"Great job, Jamie! You did it! Let's go out for ice cream!" Though they thought I wasn't listening, I could hear my parents talking about the treating method that Dr. Ross had explained, and how the ice cream was my first treat. I felt like a dog being taught tricks with the trick and treat method.
My mom was texting the whole ride back. I didn't know who, though. It was completely out of character for her. She would either call you, or talk to you in person. My mom was not a texter.
When we finally reached the ice cream shop, I realized why she was texting. Sitting at our favourite table was Jennifer. My mom wanted to surprise me with my girlfriend.
"If you go up to her and kiss her, we will allow her to visit you," my mom said. Her voice gave away the fact that she was very proud of herself. She thought it was the ultimate way to treat me, which was very true. I ran out of the car, and hugged her. I gave her a quick kiss to pacify my mother, and then we sat down.
"How are you running?" Jennifer asked me. "You're supposed to be dying of cancer!"
"He is in remission," my father said quickly, glaring at me for almost ruining his story. "The tumor has shrunk!"
"So will you be coming back to school soon?" Jennifer asked.
"Probably not til at least the beginning of next year," I replied. My dad gave me a nod of approval. "I'm still fighting the battle." Jennifer and I continued to catch up, and hug, and she even gave me a couple pecks on the cheek, which my mom beamed at. We ate our ice cream, and mom said that Jennifer could come back to the house for a bit. I had completely forgotten about all the very rude and homophobic things that had happened that day. I had Jennifer back, and that was all I needed.
When we got back to the house, Jennifer and I immediately went to the basement. I wanted to tell her the truth, but my mom was listening from the top of the stairs. You could hear her whispering what we were saying to my dad. I motioned silently for Jennifer to turn on some music, and we heard my mom's footsteps walk away from the stairs.
"I don't have cancer, Jen," I said, looking down at the ground.
"Well that's obvious, isn't it! You're as healthy as a horse! Though you have lost weight."
"I came out to them. I wanted to be able to be with Zak. They locked me in the basement for two weeks. They paid me to do some work for my dad's company, and I used that money to pay for a tutor. I was only fed three small meals a day. Today was my first day out of the basement."
"That has to be illegal!" Jennifer exclaimed, her hands balled into fists. "They can't do that to you!"
"They did. They took me to a psychiatrist today, to try and get me schizophrenia meds. Now they know that I'm not schizophrenic, but they still think I'm having delusions. They have a program to help make me straight."
"Like training a dog?" Jennifer gasped, appalled.
"Exactly. I do something homosexual, I get punished. I do something heterosexual, I get rewarded. I'm also going to Camp Sunset in July. It's a camp that "sets the sun" on the days of the homosexual child, and lets "the sun rise" on the new heterosexual kid."
"That's awful!" Jennifer said, drawing me in for a hug. "What are they going to do to you at that camp?"
"I don't know, but it's probably gonna suck."