The Suburbs

sixteen

Don't adventures ever have an end? I suppose not. Someone else always has to carry on the story.

[J.R.R. Tolkien]

• • •

Kody felt like the protagonist in a bad teen movie, waiting outside his crush's front door, too nervous to knock.

When he finally plucked up the courage to do so, Darya answered, wearing a wide smile. "Hi, Kody." She greeted. "Are you here to see Arlo?"

"Yeah, is he ready?" He asked politely.

"He may be a few moments. Come in."

He followed her into the house, his smile growing when he saw Lola trot towards him, her tail wagging furiously. He leant down to stroke her, glancing up at Darya as he attempted to make small talk, "How are you?" Fuck, this was awkward. They never spent time alone together.

"I'm good." She grinned, "How are you?"

"Got nothing to complain about." He shrugged. "Hey, is that...is that a hickey?" He smirked.

Her eyes widened and cheeks reddened as she quickly readjusted her collar, "Uh...w-well, yeah, but..."

"She's got a mystery boyfriend." Arlo appeared in the hallway, dressed in his favourite black hoodie and a pair of ripped jeans. "She won't let us meet him."

Darya rolled her eyes and ignored her brother, "Where are you guys going?"

Arlo looked at Kody with raised brows, "Would you like to answer that one?" He pressed, pulling his boots on and grabbing his keys.

"It's a surprise - not a very good one though."

When the boys arrived at the lake, Arlo couldn't help but smile, "What are we doing here?"

Kody dropped his backpack to the floor and pulled out a box of strawberries, offering them to the blond boy beside him. "You said this place was nice on a sunny day." He shrugged, gesturing to the lake. The water was still and calm, the blue sky was clear, and the sun was shining brightly. There was still a chill in the air as they settled by the water's edge, but it was nothing like the storm that had raged around them the last time they were there. "I thought it would be nice if we had a picnic, you know?"

Arlo looked at him for a moment, "You're sweet, Kody. Thanks for this."

"I wanted to show you that I'm serious about this."

"I know you are." Arlo said sincerely. "You don't have to prove it to me."

"Well, I wanted to." Kody smiled, pulling his legs to his chest as he took in the view of the sunlight shimmering on the water's glassy surface. "Arlo?"

"Hm?"

"Have you ever had a boyfriend?"

He tensed up and refused to look at Kody, "No."

"Who was he?"

"I said no."

"Yeah, but you were lying."

Arlo sighed heavily, "He wasn't a boyfriend. He was just some guy who wasn't really gay. After a few months of experimenting he went back to his girlfriend and told me it was all a mistake."

"Oh, Arlo, I'm-"

"Don't say you're sorry. I don't care. It was ages ago."

"But he took advantage of you."

"I know." He gulped. "But it's human nature. We all take advantage of people to some extent."

Kody hesitated. The faces of nameless people he had seduced and fucked flashed through his mind. The ones he never called back and the innocence he stole from them. He'd made his fair share of mistakes and used people more than he would like to admit. The weight of his past felt heavier from Arlo's perspective. "I have to tell you something."