Jean and Danny

Jean and Danny 1

"What?" I asked, completely stunned.

"Well... Yeah. I was thinking... Since, you don't have anything on for the weekend, and I don't either... Well... Maybe we could have a sleepover?" He elaborated, though I'm not entirely sure wether my brain got the message or not. I was still stunned at the fact that he wanted to have a sleepover.

"At... Your house... Seeing as I've never been there," he finished, lamely, running his hand through his dark hair.

I blinked, and it felt like I'd just been kicked out of my body, and something else was taking over. I felt sluggish, and very slow.

"Uh..." I began, as my brain scrambled to think of a response.

He raised an eyebrow. "What? Are your parents, like, homophobes or something?" He asked, confused.

I shook my head, but only slightly. "Not really. And, it's parent, not parents. I... Kinda... Only live with my Dad," I explained.

He blinked, then frowned, surprised. "Huh, you never mentioned that," he pointed out.

Then realization hit him. "In fact... I don't think you've ever mentioned anything about either of your parents," he continued.

I winced. Well, it was kinda true. I was hoping he'd never really get the opportunity to meet them. I wasn't exactly proud of my parents. Especially my father.

He was an alcoholic who'd never been able to hold down a job for more than four months his whole life. He was obese, a heavy smoker, and he relied heavily on the support money Centerlink gave him to survive. To be blunt, he wasn't exactly the best role model for a teenage boy. Unless it was one of those reverse-psychology things, where he was the reason I worked so hard not to be a lazy drunk... But that's neither here nor there. I wasn't even legal drinking age yet, so... I had no idea what kind of person I'd be like when I was forty.

Which was probably why I didn't want my friends meeting my father. Because... Well... He was a deadbeat Dad. He made lame jokes, and he was always just a bit annoying, even when he wasn't around. I mean, I loved my father... But I kind of wished he was a little bit of a better one.

Especially when this guy, the guy who held me in such high regard... Was about to meet the producer of my personality.

I didn't want the two of them meeting, ever. I never mentioned one to the other, but there were two reasons behind that.

First: I'd already explained. Deadbeat, scary dad. Scared a lot of my friends away.

Second; well... This guy in front of me? Yeah... He was my boyfriend. I was gay... And... Well... I'd kinda forgotten to get around to telling my family members about it.

I was kinda hoping it was just a phase, you know? That It'd pass, and I wouldn't worry about it too much, and then I'd like girls again.

But the end of the phase hadn't been showing any signs of getting closer... And... Well... I'd gotten a boyfriend because of it.

I didn't tell my family because I was scared of what they would think. My father never discussed anything sexual or of that likeness that with me... So... It was kinda difficult to just bring it up.

And.. Well... Until today... I'd never really seen a reason to bring it up. To either of them.

Suddenly, my brain seemed to land back inside my skull again, and I could feel everything. I felt my aching lungs, because I'd been holding in a breath, and I could feel my rapid, desperate pulse, telling me that I needed to breath.

I sighed a little, and then inhaled deeply, then licked my lips, and looked back up at Daniel.

"Look, Dan... I-" I began, then looked up at him.