Disowned
by Victor Thomas
Chapter 8
Kenny
The gravel crackled behind us, and I pulled my hand from Javier's. I pushed it into my pocket a few seconds before the guy jogging toward us shouted out Javier's name.
"Have you made up your mind yet?" he asked.
I had seen the guy before, but I didn't remember where or what his name was. He was for sure a jock and a senior. If my memory served me right, the guy wasn't on the football team, which satisfied me in a way I wasn't able to explain. The jock was lean and muscular. He smiled, but didn't look sincere, but he was very handsome. Something didn't match, but I didn't know yet what it was.
Then I caught him glancing at Javier's body. It was a split-second glance, but there was something in his eyes that made me uncomfortable. He must have seen us walking hand in hand. Instinctively, I took a step back. If the guy became aggressive, Javier would defend me.
"Not yet," Javier said. "I've been busy."
Too busy to make up his mind about what, I thought, staring at the guy who was now checking me out.
"I see," the mysterious guy said.
His smile faded, but only for a moment before it spread across his face again. He tilted his head toward me.
"Are you guys dating?"
"No," I said immediately with a confidence that surprised even me.
The guy looked genuinely surprised.
"Oh, are you sure?"
"Yes," me and Javier said at the same time.
It was a pathetic lie, especially when it was so obvious to him that I wasn't telling the truth. Students at CHS didn't walk hand in hand unless they were dating, and even if the jock wasn't the sharpest pencil in the box, he was definitely able to count one plus one.
"All right then." With a knowing smile, he held his hand out. "I'm Joshua. Good to meet you."
I cautiously took it and gave it a shake. His grip was solid, and he looked me directly in the eye. Even though I wished the encounter would be over, I had to admit that his shirt hugged his muscular body nicely. I didn't let myself stare at it as long as I would have wanted.
"I met your handsome… friend earlier," he said, patting Javier on the shoulder.
"I think we should get going," I said.
Joshua gave Javier another firm pat on the shoulder.
"Have fun. See you around."
The jock walked to a new Mustang and climbed in behind the steering wheel. His car passed us before it turned onto the road and accelerated so that the back tires squealed. Someone's parents had money.
"Who's he?" I asked.
"Just a guy on the basketball team," he answered.
"What did he want?"
He glanced around, then looked me in the eye. He even placed his hands on my shoulders, which made me expect that I probably wouldn't like what he had to say. And I was right.
"He came to my locker the other day," he said. "He asked me on a date."
My eyes grew bigger when I understood what the previous discussion had been about.
"What? You didn't reject his offer?"
"I didn't know how. You know, he's good looking and…"
"Are you seriously planning on going on a date with him? When were you going to tell me?"
The blood was boiling in my veins and I shouted my words, not caring who heard our discussion. I was having a hard time understanding my boyfriend. Joshua was definitely attractive, it was hard to deny that, but it wasn't a legitimate reason for Javier to cheat on me. As far as I could tell, he was still dating me and not Joshua. At least we had been dating.
Not wanting to look him in the eyes, I walked rapidly to my car and pulled the keys from my pocket. My idiot boyfriend rushed up behind me and held the door, preventing me from opening it. I pulled the handle as hard as I could, but he was stronger than me.
"Please let me explain," he said.
"I don't want to know what you've done with that rich muscle god," I snapped.
"I love you."
His words took me aback, and I didn't know what to say. He used that moment and leaned against me. He pushed his lips against my confused lips and kissed me until I began to kiss him back.
"Will you listen to me now?" he asked.
"Okay, okay. You've got my attention."
"I chose my words wrongly."
No shit, Sherlock, I thought, but let him continue.
"To keep a low profile about us, I couldn't tell him we're dating," he said.
He explained to me that Joshua believed he was single, and hence he hadn't found a plausible reason why he would reject his offer to go on a date. I listened to my boyfriend, who swore he had never meant to accept his invitation, and it all started to make sense. In his shoes I would have probably done the same.
"So, it's all my fault," I said sadly.
"No! I didn't mean that."
"If I would just tell mom about us, everything would be easier."
I couldn't imagine the size of the shit storm my coming out would cause at home. On the other hand, who was I fooling. Most of the time I ate with Javier in the cafeteria. We walked hand in hand and kissed in the school yard. One had to be really blind not to realize we were an item.
"I don't think you're ready for that," he said, like he was reading my mind.
"Why does it have to be so difficult?"
"Don't ask me. You're the smart guy."
An awkward silence developed between us. I hesitated to ask one more question, but it was too important not to be asked. I just wasn't sure how to set my words.
"He obviously likes you," I said.
"I'm only interested in him as a friend."
"Why do you want to be his friend?"
He laughed.
"We're both athletes. And gay."
A wave of jealously flashed through my body. My boyfriend and the muscle god shared something I could never compete against. I could never be a jock, no matter how hard I tried, to become one. And actually, I didn't even want to be one.
"So, you don't want to date him?" I asked.
"No. Of course not," he said. "I'm with you."
I nodded and forced a smile on my face. Maybe I was overreacting. Perhaps now wasn't the best time to be a drama queen. We would soon be sitting in a dark movie theater, and I could hardly wait for the opportunity to make out with my boyfriend.
After agreeing to take my car, we climbed in and headed toward Joplin. Still, even though everything should be just fine, there was one question bugging me; what if he changes his mind?
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