+ Positively Negative - | Freddie & Joey

20. Freddie + Broken Once, Twice, A Thousand Times [Part Two]

Chapter Twenty

Broken Once, Twice A Thousand Times Part Two

Freddie +

When the last bell went I was in English with Tom and Jenny. I had to tell them, too, and it upset me. I was going to miss all my friends so much, Tom especially. I was hoping at the time that I could let the new development slip and then fake some kind of emergency, having to leave in a rush and therefore escaping before witnessing any hysterics on Tom’s part, and heartbreaking tears on Jenny’s.

No such luck.

The second we left class, nerves were choking me.

“Hey, I need to tell you guys something,” I broke in during their conversation about energy-saving light bulbs, apparently.

“What’s the problem?” Tom asked, with a dopey look on his face as he turned to face me. Shit. I was really going to miss him.

“Um, can we stop a minute?” At this Jenny turned her head to face me too, and they both glanced at each other for a moment and then stared at me again. They stopped though, as I’d requested, and we inched over to a wall so as not to get trampled as students tried to head home.

“Is this about that douche-y new boyfriend of yours?” Jenny demanded.

“No, not directly anyway,” I murmured. “Joey’s cool. It’s something else…”

“Your dad?” Tom asked softly.

“Stems from that little problem, yeah,” I agreed, before explaining the situation.  Tom didn't go into hysterics, but I almost felt like that would have been better. Instead he just stood watching me, tears eventually filling his eyes and spilling over as he realised I wasn't kidding. Jenny just looked shocked.

"Tell me you're joking."

"No," I murmured slowly, allowing my gaze to fall.

"But... You let us talk-- you didn't say anything!" Tom cried out, tears flowing more freely. "How long have you known?" 

"Only since yesterday," I assured him as I peered back up at him, but he didn't seem to find that fact comforting at all. I took his hand in mine and squeezed. "I didn't want to start anything during the lesson.. I'm sorry, honestly-"

"No!" Jenny frowned. "You shouldn't be apologising, it's that father of yours. Fuck, seriously?" I remained silent. "Freddie..." Jenny gently pulled Tom and I into a hug that got tighter every passing minute.

"Well we've got at least another couple of weeks, right?" she said positively when we parted. By then I was sniffing every other second and my eyes were damp. "You're definitely having a leaving party, Fred, okay?" I tried to laugh at that, but it didn‘t sound very enthusiastic.

"Right."

"Right," Tom agreed. "And don't even think about actually being converted by that place. 'Some people are gay and that's okay,'" he said, quoting a charity in support of the lesbian, gay and bisexual community.

"Yeah," I said softly.

"Yeah," Tom said, but his tone was a lot less spirited. He looked crestfallen, tears still cascading down.

"Freddie?"

Joey! And I still wasn't ready.

"Guys! Don't say anything yet, okay? I haven't told him yet-" I pleaded as Joey hurried over, grinning broadly. Jenny nodded sharply, whereas Tom seemed utterly out of it, sinking further and further into his sadness.