The Son of a Preacher

Chapter seventeen: Healing old wounds

Lucas,1986,Huntsville,Alabama

It's finally summer and Greg has been avoiding me. It's funny now that I'm finally getting along with Caleb, I start to lose Greg. I guess that's the center of all my problems, my feelings for Caleb. I could say that I tried to get rid of my feelings but did I really? I try to tell myself I did but that's honestly just a lie I feed myself ,to help me cope. It doesn't matter now, anyways he's too busy with football camp. So I'm by myself this summer. I just got done helping work on a family friend's farm, earning myself forty dollars. I'm heading home to take a shower then head to the club house. I guess that's where my escape place will be for the summer. I'll only be going home to check on my mamma but I will be sleeping here. Not wanting to be in my house any longer. 

I finally get done, cleaning myself up at my house. Avoiding my mamma who's mindlessly staring at the TV. Then I head to the woods, towards the club house. Leaving my bike behind, since I rather walk to clear my mind. I make my way through the woods, taking my time. Breathing in the fresh scents, trying to forget my problems. 

I finally make it to the club house and I'm surprised when I see a figure beside the pond. For a second I think it's Greg, that maybe he finally decided he missed me. I'm a mixture of disappointment,excitement, and fear when I see it's Caleb. Disappointment because a part of me was hoping it was Greg. Excitement because it's Caleb, the boy I hope would be mine again. Fear was the strongest though, he was clutching his hand against his stomach, blood seeping through his shirt.

" Caleb!" I shout running up to him, scared.

" Hey Lucas, I told you that I would keep my promise." He says smiling with pain in his eyes.

" You stupid piss head, now's not the time for jokes, take off you shirt!" I snap in fear.

" Not even going to buy me dinner first." He say smirking but then grimaces at the pain in his stomach. 

" Caleb, I'm not playing." I say in a stern voice.  

" Fine, calm down my hot male nurse." He jokes but this time does as I ask.

When I see his stomach, I feel my insides turn inside out. He has a huge gash on his stomach, from what looks like a knife. It isn't deep but it's pretty long, and rather gross looking with bruises surrounding it. 

" What happened?" I ask breathless. 

" My daddy got a little drunk, he accused me of being gay." He says his lips quirking into a sad smile. 

" He knows?" I ask.

" I think he always has." He whispers. 

" Stay here, I'm going to get my first aid kit." I say, ignoring his last statement. 

" Hurry back my hot male nurse, this patient needs some loving!" He shouts, making me roll my eyes but grin at his silliness.

I grab the first aid kit, out from behind the memory box and run back down to him. He's laying down looking at the sky, even in this state he's still the most beautiful boy, I had ever laid eyes on. I run back over to him, getting the supplies out that I need to fix him. He's quiet, knowing I don't like to be interrupted as I work. I patch him up the best I can, the gash is the hardest part. He grimaces as I clean it up, and I go to put a wrap around him. I look at his face and see not only physical pain but the emotional pain as well. I lean in kissing his stomach near the mark. This causes him to shiver and when I look up I see heat in his gaze. I ignore it though, knowing that it would be a bad idea. If I let something like that happen, it would mess up whatever we are re-building. I instead finish putting the wrap over his gash.