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“And you should know that Grandma has given me money to take my driver’s test which I’ll be doing as soon as I can,” I add.
Mum lets out a deep breath. “This is all happening very fast.”
“I know. But as you said, I’m eighteen now and I need you to let me be a normal teenager.”
Mum and Dad both nod at me while he reaches out to take Mum’s hand.
“In the meantime, your mother will drive you to school,” Dad adds in a tone that concludes our awkward but necessary conversation.
I’m going to be late, and I know Quinn will be worried, but I think I just need to process my thoughts before I’m in a position to tell him anything. So I ask Mum to drop me off at the coffee shop near the school. I’m already half an hour late and a few more minutes won’t matter. I just need a few moments to think before I make my way into school, my entire world suddenly a different place than it was the last time I set foot on the grounds.
Who knew my entire world would be thrown upside down in the space of a single weekend? Just me, grappling with my new reality.
CHAPTER 27
quinn
JT hasn’t shown for science class. I wasn’t worried until I see Trey walk in alone, no sign of my boyfriend beside him like usual. I turn to question him, but he just gives me a shrug and sits down in the back row.
When JT still hasn’t shown by the end of class, I’m officially worried. I’ve sent him four texts already even though we’re not allowed to have phones in the classroom, and he hasn’t even read them. I beeline for Trey the second Mr Peters lets us out of class.
“Where’s JT?”
“I don’t know, bro,” Trey replies with a worried look. “But shit went down at their house last night. I don’t know the details, but I heard my dad talking to Uncle David last night and it sounded pretty intense.”
“Shit.” Panic bolts to my stomach. I am already making plans to ditch school and go find JT when I step out into the hall and see him standing there waiting for me, leaning up against the lockers. Trey and I both flock to him.
“Are you okay?” I ask the moment I reach his side.
“I think so,” he sighs.
“What happened, cuz?” Trey asks, his concern matching mine. “I heard our parents talking last night and Dad sounded pretty damn furious.”
“Yeah, so, my parents found out about me and Quinn,” JT admits, confirming what I suspected. I immediately reach out to grasp hold of his hand, not even thinking about the fact we haven’t touched publicly in school like this, but I need to touch him. He must agree because he squeezes my hand and doesn’t let go, not caring about the double takes and stares being sent our way.
“So?” I prompt. “Is everything okay?”
JT sighs again, running his free hand down his face. “It’s notokaybut it’s also not–not okayif that makes sense. I mean, they were pretty devastated and angry when they found out last night. But they spoke with Uncle Alec afterwards and whatever he said seems to have given them a kick up the ass or something. This morning they cornered me and basically agreed they can ‘tolerate’ us being together but they need time and patience to come to terms with it.”
“Fuck,” I curse. I didn’t want this for JT. I didn’t want to have his relationship with his parents deteriorate because of me. This sucks totally and I hate that I am the cause of this.
“Don’t,” JT whispers. “Don’t blame yourself for this. I chose this too. I chose you.”
“I never wanted this for you.”
“I know. But I wouldn’t change a thing,” he assures me, thumb stroking the back of my hand.
“The family’s on the alert if anything happens,” Trey cuts in, reminding us it’s not just me and JT in our own little bubble here in the school corridor. “You know we’ve got your back, yeah?”
“I know. Thank you, Trey,” JT says. “And thank Uncle Alec for me too. Whatever he said seems to have tempered the outrage.”
“From what I overheard he basically told them they either accept your sexuality or lose you forever,” Trey says.
“Are you okay though?” I ask, needing him to be okay more than I need to breathe.
“I will be,” he assures me, green gaze hitting me in the guts.
“Do you want to get out of here with me for a bit?” I suggest. I have never once in my life ditched even a minute of school, but I have a far greater need burning up inside me to make sure my boyfriend is okay. JT nods, sucking on his lower lip as he keeps his gaze on me.
