I Would Take A Beating For You

Choices

Richie

This morning was the worst. I couldn't go back to sleep even if I wanted to. I have a rough choice to make. Stay here for Mom and get beat up or run off with my boyfriend and break my Mom's little heart. "Richie, you up?" Mom says softly. "I never went to sleep." I respond. "Well I need you to get up." She says. I sit up to look at her. "Why? It's Sunday.' I say.

"Well I'm picking out my wedding dress and I want you there." She says. "To be honest you're the only person's opinion I truly care about." Mom adds, opening my curtains. "Really? Didn't Steve propose like 2 weeks ago?" I ask. "We moved fast I guess." Mom says. "Now get up. We're leaving in a hour." She says closing my door. I lay back down to just think. My phone disturbs me. It's Julius as always.

Juls💙: how you holding up?❤

Me: Not good. My Mom's picking out a wedding dress today and she taking me with.

Juls💙: Damn. already?

Me: yeah

Juls💙: Alright then I'll leave you alone. Love you😘

Me: love you more🥰

Juls💙: That's impossible.

I turn off my phone and get dressed then I force myself downstairs. "You look like hell." Steve says. I roll my eyes and walk to the car. My Aunt Liz, Aunt Rina, Aunt Rachel, and Uncle Garrett are in the car when I get there. We get to the boutique.

My Aunts gawk at all of the white dresses. Mom is the youngest of 5 siblings so they're getting understandably emotional. My uncle and I wander off. "You happy about all this?" He asks watching me scroll through my phone. "Not in the slightest bit." I sigh. "Still hung up on your Dad?" He asks. "Can I be honest with you, Uncle Garrett?" I ask.

"Always, Kid." My Uncle says sitting down next to me. "Steve is a class A jackass and I don't think Mom should be with him, let alone marry the guy." I say. " Me too kid. She seriously downgraded when she got with him." My uncle snorts. He doesn't get it. It felt nice to vent though.

"Boys! Where'd you go?" Aunt Racheal says finding our hiding place. We walk around with our little group and Mom picks three dresses to try on. The first two are noting special. They're white, poofy and sparkly. Just dresses.

I'm rolling my eyes and not commenting until the 3rd dress. It's big and white like the others but it's somehow...different. It fits mom perfectly and she looks like an angel. "Richie, what do you think?" Aunt rachel squeals. I start crying. "Look Tina you made him cry!" Aunt rina says. These aren't happy tears. They're frustrated tears.

My mom looks elated and she's obviously in heaven when she's with Steve. I can't tell her. I haven't seen her this happy since Dad died. "So I guess this is it. This is my dress." Mom says gleeming.

Me: Meet me at the coffee shop on 25th? Pretty please?❤

Juls💙: Sure be there in 5.

Me: Thanks babe.

I run to the coffee shop. I tell mom I'm just going on a walk. As I approach the small building I see Julius. "Hey babe." He says once he sees me. I hug him as tight as I can. "Family problems?" Julius asks quietly. "Julius it's terrible! I'm terrible!" I sob into his shoulder.

"Richie. You aren't terrible." He says lifting my head and wiping my tears. "Julius, my Mom looks like a princess and I'm sure she feels like one. Steve is exactly what my Mom needs and I'm getting in the way of that!" I scream.

"Richie stop! He is abusive and all around an awful person! You did nothing wrong!" Julius says. I shut up. "Richie you have made this month of us dating feel like an eternity and I love that about you. You make every second feel magical and everytime we touch it feels like the first time." He says.

"Look what I'm trying to say is, any idiot that doesn't love you the way I do is stupid and you shouldn't let them walk all over you." He says. "I love you." He adds softly. "Well you're an idiot for loving me." I say. "No amount of sappy stuff you say is gonna to change the fact that I am about to steal my mother's happiness because stupid boys like you make me fall in love and get the shit beat out of me!" I scream.

"Then maybe you shouldn't talk to stupid guys anymore." Julius says. He starts to walk away. "Julius I didn't mean it that way!" I scream. He ignores me. "Julius I'm sorry!" I say. He turns around. "Save your voice. You'll need it later." He says before beginning to walk again.

"Richie! What are you doing all the way down here?" Aunt liz says. "It's not important." I sniffle. "It is. Why are you crying?" She asks. "I just got dumped." I sob. "By who?" Aunt liz asks. "BY MY FUCKING BOYFRIEND ELIZABETH! BY MY BOYFRIEND! I'M GAY!" I shout.

God I must be making the biggest scene right now. I'm a 14 year old boy crying outside of a coffee shop. "You're what?" She asks. "Gay! I said gay! G-A-Y. I AM A HOMO!" I shout. "Richie!" I hear mom scream from behind us. "Shit." I sigh quietly.

Julius

I walk home from 25th in tears. Sure I'm the one kinda dumped Richie, but I feel like such an asshole and I already miss him. He already has a lot going on and I probably just fucked up his whole week. Maybe even month.

I'm such an asshole to leave him there. I should call him. I shouldn't. I can't. Maybe Richie is better off without me. Steve might leave him alone. Besides Rich can find someone way better than me.

There's plenty of great guys around here. Most of them are straight but I'm sure Richie can find someone out there. You know what Richie doesn't need a boyfriend all he needs is a friend.

Come to think of it Richie and I don't have much in common so maybe he can find someone else to hang out with. I'm sure someone else likes Billie Eilish. Not as much as he does cause that's impossible but maybe they'll listen to her songs together or they could go to Build-A-Bear together or watch musicals since he likes those and I don't.

Huh maybe I'm bad for Richie. No. No. NO

Richie

"Richie you're gay?" Mom asks. "Um yeah. I'm gay." I say quietly. "Tina." Aunt Liz says. "I knew he would turn out like this." Aunt rachel says. "Rachel." Mom says through gritted teeth. "What Tina? It's true every boy needs a father. See what lack of one did? He's confused." Aunt rachel countinues.

"Rachel." Mom says again. "If you had found someone sooner maybe we could gave prevented this. Seriously your son thinks he likes boys." She says.

"Rachel stop." Mom says again. "Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just saying- SHUT THE FUCK UP RACHEL! THIS IS NOT YOUR PROBLEM!" Mom shouts in the middle of my Aunt's ranting.

"So I'm a problem now?" I say. "Richie I just don't wanna talk about it." Mom says squeezing the bridge of her nose. "I see. My sexuality confuses you." I say. "No honey, that's not what I meant." Mom pleads.

"Save it." I say before running down the street I have no idea where I'm going. I'm just running away from this day. My Mom's a step closer to marrying steve, Julius left me, and I accidently came out.

This day is shit