When it Stops Hurting (Royce)

4

Jacob's P.O.V.

Elijah: r u taking me to hell?

Elijah: I mean school

Me: haha yeah, I'll be there in liiiikkkeee 30 min

Elijah: okay, boo

I climbed out of my comfortable bed and shuffled over to my closet, I chose my outfit for the day and remembering that I took a shower last night, I got dressed. I proceeded to the bathroom and did my daily hygiene before grabbing my bag and phone and going downstairs. There was a tense silence in the air as I walked into the kitchen, my father was sitting at the table reading the newspaper and my mother was making her lunch for work. I ignored the both of them, especially the man who said he lost a son when I was born. I grabbed an apple and water bottle from the fridge and I left. I drove to Elijah's house, which wasn't so far.

Me: Elijah, I'm outside

Elijah: u said 30 min! I'm not even up yet

Me: .....well then get up.....

Elijah: *sigh* okay. Come inside

I took the key from the ignition and walked to the door. Mrs. Johnson let me in and I walked up to his room. "Elijah" I said, leaning against his door-frame.

"Hmm" he hummed, looking at me. He was bundled up in a blanket on his bed. "I thought you said you were getting up" I stated.

"I am, just give me like.... Fifteen minutes".

"We're going to be late if you sleep for fifteen more minutes".

He sighed and sat up, rubbing at his eyes. He looked at me, raising an eyebrow, "what's wrong, boo?"

I shook my head a little, "nothing".

He frowned, "yeah, there is. Come on, tell me". He got up and walked to his closet. "Was it your mom?"

"No..."

"Your dad?"

"Yeah".

"What'd he do to make you cry?"

"How do you know I cried?" I asked, watching him step out of his pajama pants. He stepped into black jeans, pulling them up to his waist.

"Your eyes look puffy".

I walked to his bed and sat down, "you know... The usual, he said being gay was a sin".

"Don't know how many times I've heard that" Elijah said, chuckling.

I smiled a little, "yeah, at least your mom is okay with your sexuality though. My dad said he lost a son the day I was born, he tried explaining what he meant, but I said I didn't come out the way he expected".

Elijah looked at me, his eyes giving me a disappointed look. "I'm sorry".

"It's not your fault, Elijah". I sighed, "You know how yesterday I went to Pastor Wayne's anti-gay group, yesterday?"

He nodded, "mhm". 

"Well he talked to me privately yesterday and said he wasn't going to let me ruin his job, he said he was going to do what my parents asked of him. I don't even know why he's trying, Elijah. There's no point. I'm tired of seeing pastors that all tell me the exact same thing over and over and over again". I ran my hand through my hair, my finger twirling around a curl. "I'm feeling hopeless at this point, last night was the first time I actually cried because I was different from everyone, because I was gay".