Page 35 of In the Shadows

Out of the side of my eye, I could see them staring at each other like they were waiting for one of them to say something. Then the shoulder nudges came, their hands landed together, but they didn’t pull them apart.

I whispered to Joey, “Don’t look, but I think we’re about to get bombarded with questions.”

Joey reached up wrapping his arm around my neck and pulled me down for a kiss. I think he meant it to be more of an attention grabber, but I couldn’t help but take control and deepen it. Winding my fingers through his hair, I cradled the back of his head and held him in place. His lips parted and my tongue dove in, interlocking with his. This was getting heated very fast and putting on a show for two teenagers wasn’t in our best interest. Reluctantly, I drew back, smiling down at Joey when I saw his half-lidded eyes.

I gazed over at our company. “Sorry guys, didn’t mean for that to get out of hand.” Thankfully, Joey covered the boner I was sporting, but he turned toward the back of the couch to adjust himself and try to hide his.

“Um, no problem,” Brad mumbled, but Jackson’s face was flushed and he quickly looked away to hide his embarrassment.

“Do you guys, um. Do you guys get any shit from other bands for being gay?” Brad asked.

“Not to our faces we haven’t. I’m sure others have talked shit behind our backs, but to be honest, we don’t really give two fucks what they think.” My wheels were turning, the sudden realization as to why they wanted to hang out was coming to me.

Nervously, Brad kept looking through the kitchen toward the back door.

“Does it bother you guys that we’re gay?” Joey asked, sitting up straight.

Rubbing his back in an effort to calm him, which I hoped would be successful. I didn’t want him to get his undies in a bunch if this convo was headed where I think it was.

They both said rather frantically in unison, “No!”

Joey visibly relaxed. “Then what’s up with the twenty questions?” he asked them.

Again, they looked at each other, nervously.

“Jackson’s out to his family,” Brad blurted.

“Brad!” Jackson yelled at him.

“Shit, fuck, sorry,” Brad apologized to him.

“For the record, dude, it’s not cool to out anyone,” I let him know.

“Yeah, no I know. It’s just you guys are cool and all and I’m so fucking nervous.” He wiped his hands on the front of his pants, Jackson covered one of them with his. Now I knew for sure where this was going.

“Why are you nervous?” I prodded. I knew I shouldn’t, but it seemed this kid really needed to tell someone his secret.

“Did your families freak out when you told them?”

“My mom was way cool about it. When Joey came out it was funnier than shit.”

Joey punched me in the arm.

“Ouch,” I complained.

“It wasn’t funny. I was super fucking nervous to tell my dad.”

“Yeah and then you blurted out in one long word ‘I’mgayandIneedtoknowhowtotellmydad’ and that shit was hilarious,” I laughed and was awarded another punch from him, this one to the gut.

“Dude, I was sixteen years old and scared as fuck. I’d just...” he trailed off, the sudden realization as to where this conversation was headed hit him. He looked up at me, I nodded letting him know we were on the same page. He turned, looking at both the kids. “Um.”

Both kids were now blushing, knowing we’d figured out their secret.

“Was your dad mad when you told him?” Brad asked, fidgeting.

“No, but that wasn’t the worst of it,” with those words, they now looked downright terrified, “the worst part was that it was earlier that day when I realized I was gay after sporting a chub in class over a guy. I took off, missed the rest of my classes and the school called my dad. But to answer your question, no my dad didn’t get mad. He told me he was scared how others would treat me, but he only wanted me to be happy and he didn’t care if that meant being with a girl or a boy,” Joey finished.

They relaxed, the tenseness that had filled their bodies during Joey’s explanation subsided.