The Nerd [BXB]

28 𖠇 Everything Will Be Alright, Harvey

Harvey sneaks up to his room upstairs, grabbing his soccer duffle bag, opening drawers and closets, and throwing everything in sight inside of it before zipping it shut. As he does that, he cannot help, but stare at the picture frame resting on the drawer next to his bed. There is a picture of him his freshman year of high school at the field with a trophy in his grip and his father's hands on his shoulders with his mother by their side, a grin on everyone's faces.

"What did the upperclassmen think of a freshman making it to the varsity team, son?" Mr. Cohen asked Harvey one chilly afternoon as he was driving his son back home from school—one of those rare days when he could spend spare time with his son.

Harvey is throwing the soccer ball back and forth in his hands, glancing at the gloomy sky out the window every once in a while. "Pissed off," he replies, recalling his teammates' glares the first day of practice.

"Jealousy sounds more like it," Mr. Cohen corrects his son. With an empty road, he manages to look at the rearview mirror to rest his eyes on his son. "I am proud of you, Harvey."

Harvey smiles widely, satisfied with those words after years and years of trying to hear them from the one man he cared the most. Mr. Cohen's pride is what drove him to always strive for success—especially when it came to sports. Every action he made and thought that would cross his mind from then on would have to be worthy of his father's praise.

"I am proud of you," he repeated, assuring Harvey of the joy he had brought him. "I really am."

If only he would say those words again.

Harvey snatches his gaze from the picture no matter how hard he finds it. There is no point in recalling heartwarming memories when the recent ones have been a living nightmare since the day he came out as bisexual. With his bag slung over his shoulder, he opens his bedroom door and heads out. The way down the stairs, he comes across his mother passing by.

Mrs. Cohen glances at the duffle bag and slaps a hand over her mouth. "Please don't do this, Harvey," she whispers, aware that her husband is in the room next door. "You cannot leave me."

Harvey walks up to her and cups her cheeks. "I'm not leaving you, mom," he assures her. "You're the one thing worth staying."

"Then why leave at all?" she asks, reaching for the bag, but Harvey stops her.

"Because I can't be myself when he's around," he admits to her the truth he has been holding on to for years. "And that's not a place I am willing to call home."

Mrs. Cohen shakes her head, bottom lip trembling.

"What if you come with me and together we search for another home?" he offers, a glint of hope glimmering inside of him.

Mrs. Cohen remains in thought for a few seconds before sighing. "Your father might have his bad days and disapproval of you, which is something that hurts me like you have no idea," she says, "but he's the man I married and I can't leave him behind, Harvey." A tear rolls down her cheek that drags her eyeliner with it. "You're making me choose between the two men I love the most and I just can't bring myself to do that."

Harvey nods, feeling the glint of hope in him die down, leaving a void of darkness behind. "It's okay, mom," he says. "I understand."

Before he takes a step toward the door, she stops him. "Where will you stay?"

"With Theo," he responds. "He offered me his home."

Mrs. Cohen looks down at the tiles and then back at his son. "He's a good boy with a great heart, Harvey," she lets him know, still holding his hand. "Hold on to him," she mutters with clarity. "Giving up on him would be something you would resent for the rest of your life because God and I know finding naturally caring people is not as easy as you might think."

Harvey tilts his head to the side to allow his mother's words sink in. "I won't give up on him, mom," he assures her. Before stepping out the front door, he gives her a quick peck on the cheek.

She watches his son step out of the house with both of her hands curled in her chest.

"Love," she hears Mr. Cohen call for her from the kitchen, "is everything okay?"

She takes a deep breath and wipes the tear stains on her face. "Yes, honey," she tells him. "I'll be there in a sec."

Harvey watches me from up the stairs as I stand in front of the water fountain, staring at the water rain down in sparkles. As Harvey admires from afar, I stretch a hand forward and let a few droplets wet the palm of my hand.

Harvey goes down the stairs and taps my shoulder.

"Ready?" I ask him, wiping my hand with the back of my jeans.

Harvey raises the duffle bag. "Ready."

We get inside Harvey's car and drive away from the property. And as the mansion fades with the distance, Harvey takes a deep breath and grips the wheel.

He recalls his mother's words, finding himself glancing at me several times.

It does not take me long to notice his eyes on me. "What?" I ask with a short chuckle, feeling worried that a few sprinkles from the water fountain might've stained by eyeglasses.

"Nothing," Harvey says, smiling at me.

I raise an eyebrow as curiosity makes me wonder what has him glad after what went down with his father minutes ago. Instead of questioning him, though, I smile back in hope that he knows I am here for him and that he's not alone.

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A\N: This chapter was so soothing to write for some weird reason haha. Anyway, make sure to like it and let me know your thoughts with a comment! :)