Felix's boy

Chapter nine

Marks POV

We lay on the ground, staring up at the night sky, hands intertwined. I'm amazed by how naturally it came to the both of us, but I can't say I'm not happy.

Watching the sky, I see a shooting star. The first shooting star I've ever seen.

"A shooting star!" I hum happily. "Do you have any wishes?" I turn my head to look at Jack, seeing he's still staring at the sky.

"I have plenty."

"What are they?"

Jack sighs. "I wish Felix wouldn't meddle so much. I wish my aunt actually cared about my wellbeing. I wish my parents loved me for who I am. I wish I..." he trails off.

"You wish you..?" I encourage.

"I wish I didn't hate myself so much."

I stare at him, confusion running through me. What's to hate? He's funny, gorgeous, smart, talented. What's to hate?

"I wish I didn't have to leave Ireland. I liked it there, for the most part. I wish Felix wasn't right when he said I needed to talk to a professional. I wish I wasn't so messed up that he had to isolate me from everyone."

Jack grimaced when a tear fell from his eye. He sat up in a second, wiping it away as quick as possible.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, I just ruin everything!"

I pull him into my arms, sitting up with him.

"I shouldn't have said all of that. I'm just being a charity case. Really, Mark, tell me to shut up when I talk too much."

"No way! I love hearing you talk! I love the way your voice gets higher when you're happy. I love when you smile at nothing. I love when you laugh so loud the whole room can hear your joy. I wouldn't want to be with you if anything about you detested me."

"You can't name one thing? Go ahead, I won't be offended."

"One thing that I don't like about you? Okay. I don't like that you can't see how beautiful you are."

Jack turns so I can see his face, giving me a small, sad smile.

"I have one more wish, Mark."

"Go ahead."

"I wish high school won't be the end of us."

I smile, hugging him tighter.

"Listen to me, literal minutes into a relationship and I'm attached. Trust issues my ass."

I chuckle, pulling away so he can clearly see me rolling my eyes.

"It's okay, high schoolers are allowed to romanticize any and everything."

...

I wake up on the lawn, feeling cold in the late summer air. Ohio is cold.

I turn over seeing Jack beside me, still fast asleep. I make a split second decision to bring him inside, where it's warm.

I pick him up gently, carrying him inside in his sleeping bag. I lay him down on my bed, grabbing my phone from the drawer and leaving the room.

"Morning sweetie," my mom greets as I pass her in the hall. I shush her.

"Don't wake up Jack. He's asleep in my room."

"Oh, then let's go downstairs."

We both make our way down the stairs, where she begins to start breakfast. I sit down at the breakfast bar, watching her in boredom, afraid to turn on my phone.

"Mom?" I mumble. I'm surprised she hears me.

"Yes, darling?"

"Could you ever... hate your own child?"

"Dear god, no! No matter what happens, I'll always love you and your brother. You're my entire life." She turns from where she's fumbling through the fridge. "Why? Did you kill someone? I'll help hide the body."

"No, I didn't kill anyone. I was just... curious."

"Your curiosity doesn't have anything to do with the boy in your room, does it?"

"It might."

"You like him, don't you?"

"How'd you know?"

"You slept on the front lawn. Everyone in the neighbourhood must've seen you kissing."

My cheeks turn red, but my mom just laughs.

"Don't worry, I'm not upset. I don't understand all the problems with homophobia. It shouldn't matter who you love."

"Thanks, mom."

She smiles, leaning over the counter to kiss me on the forehead.

"Besides, you have good taste in men. He's cute."

"I know he is." I smile down at my hands, thoughts of Jacks pleasant smile in my mind. "What should I do? I like him, and I want to help him, but I don't want to suffocate him. He gets that enough from his friend, he doesn't need it from his boyfriend too." It sounds good to say. Boyfriend. It rolls off my tongue perfectly.

"Well, what's wrong with him?"

"That's the thing, I don't know. I don't want to ask, because I don't want to make him tell me if he isn't ready, but he's so nice I know he will tell me."

Mom cracks some eggs onto the pan, laying it on the stone and turning back to me.

"Give It time. It's been, what? One night since you've became boyfriends? Give him time to fall into a natural trust with you."

I nod, accepting the advice.

On que, I hear quiet footsteps coming down the stairs and Jack appears, a shy look in his eyes. It seems he fixed his hair before coming downstairs, as well as smudged some grass stains that were left on his jeans from before we got the sleeping bags.

"G-good morning," he mutters politely. He gives me a look, as if silently asking me if he has to act straight. I shake my head, and instead of answering, I march over and kiss him on the cheek. When I part from him, his face is red, but there's a smile on his face.

"Breakfast time, boys!"