Complicated

Chapter Three

   Heading home I can't think. What will I tell Liam? I can't hurt him but he's never seen this part of me before. I just want him to be happy, I didn't think I would get this far in, I...
I want him to be safe and happy and with me but I don't know what to do. I like him so much but I just...
  What if I hurt him? I'm not used to this okay? I don't know what we should do. I definitely can't end it but I have to disconnect from him.
  From everyone.
  There's no way I won't hurt them if they find out.  I just..
  can't do this right now. I don't know what to do or say and I'm so stupid I shouldn't have gotten this far in what will I tell my parents I haven't come out yet but this boy I just..
  I need to slow down.
  I realize I haven't been paying attention to where I've been walking and I passed my house. I take a deep breath and head back.
A light flickers on inside and my hopes of sneaking in are dashed. My mom and dad are waiting in the living room as I walk in.
"Thomas Nicholas Jaro, where have you been!?"
I wince as mom stands up so that she can tower over me.
"We have been worried SICK about you! Do you know what TIME it is?!"
  I glance at the clock. It's a lot later than I thought it was. It's nearly midnight.
  "Sorry Mom I was-"
  "What were you doing that kept you out since FIVE and had you JUST NOW be getting home?!"
   "I was with a friend?"
  She looks ready to explode as I choose the wrong answer.
"UNTIL MIDNIGHT? LISTEN HERE, IF YOU DON'T TELL ME WHERE YOU WERE YOU'RE GOING TO BE GROUNDED UNTIL YOU'RE THIRTY YOUNG MAN I WILL NOT HAVE YOU STAYING OUT UNTIL GOD KNOWS WHEN WITH THE PITIFUL EXCUSE THAT YOU WERE 'WITH A FRIEND'!"
I stay quiet while she lectures me on staying out and kidnappers and the such. Eventually she turns to me again.
"Well? Where were you?" She gives me the evil eye as I fidget around for an answer.
  "Me and Liam lost track of the time and we were watching a Disney marathon and I fell asleep and he didn't want to wake me up because...uh." I trail off as I try to think of an ending to that statement that doesn't sound really gay.
  "Well? Because what?"
  "Because he thought I needed the sleep?" I think the fact that we spent several hours just cuddling and making out would not go over well with mom. Neither would the, 'he let me sleep because he thinks I'm cute when I'm asleep' thing.
   I start weighing my chances with any version of, 'we're kinda dating' when I notice she looks worried.
  "Honey have you not been getting enough sleep?"
   Fuuuck I forgot about the worried aspect.
   "No I've been alright but y'know my friends they're huge worrywarts."
This is a blatant lie and I really hope mom doesn't notice. Thankfully her expression relaxes.
   "Okay sweetheart. Get some sleep it's nearly one."
   I spare a look at the clock and it's as mom said, it's 12:45.
   I guess I'll have to talk to Liam later instead of staying up on my phone. I go up to my room and try to relax.
   It'll be alright. Maybe Liam will even understand about this. I roll over and eventually sleep.