Closet Case

Roles Reversed

We all sit together on a big pallet or pile of blankets on the floor and Dusty's mom says

"I don't really know all of you why don't we all get to know each other?"

Everyone nods then she says "Ok favorite color?"

James, Dusty, Jay, Jay's Dad, Will,Me: Red

Girls: Orange

Luke: Black

I ask "Favorite food?" then look down.

Jay and his parents look at me proudly then nod.

James,Dusty,Will,Miranda: Gumbo

Kota,Jay,Me,Luke: Deer

Mr.&Mrs.Elridge: Pizza

"I've never had deer I wonder what it tastes like?" Mr.Elridge says

Will answers "We have some back at the house after the storm we could get together for dinner or something?"

"Perfect" Mrs.Elridge says

We play a couple more rounds then go to sleep.

I wake up to a big clap of thunder. Mr.Elridge is up as well.

He asks me "Are you okay?"

I just nod then sit there.He sit next to me on the side Jay's not on. I flinch a little but he just sits there. What he doess next surprises me.

He grabs me and pulls me into a fatherly hug. An experiance I have not had since my mom died. I hug him back and cry. He rubs my back and coos me. When I stop and am just sniffling he says

"Kid I know you've had it rough and we aren't trying to replace your parents. Lord knows I would kill myself before I hurt anyone besides protecting my family which you are now a part of. I know it will be tough and may take time but I want you to trust me. To see I'm not like your dad. I also want you to trust my wife. She doesn't want to replace herself as your mom. She wants to help you. She understands your feelings more because shes a psychologist but she's doing this off the books you're not another patient to her. And most of all I want you to trust my son. I get that you feel scared, pain, embarrassed, disgusted, I know you think you are weak or pathetic, a coward, and most of all a burden..." 

"How di..."

"Son I could here you and James talking through the air vent that's a two way trick. And you have every reason to be fearful and act out not in a bad way but in a abnormal way from your usual self. I just want you to understand we know you are trying and that you know we care whats happening we care for you. We will help you. We just need you to try and step back from being gaurded and scared and give yourself some justice and freedom from him. We don't judge okay we understand this i hard for you we just want you to know it's a two way street. We want to help you but we can only do so much without you wanting to help yourself."

"What do you see me as some fucking charity case? Some needy little coward who was raped and beat by his dad and is now an orphan? I want to fucking get better I can't stand feeling scared and gaurded all the time but I don't know how to. I try and try to tell you but I just can't I don't know how. I...I...I...j...j...ju...jus..."

By the second sentence I'm bawling and then he cuts me off and pulls me into a hug. he coos me then says

"Hey shh relax I know I see it.It's alright. It will all work out."

I end up falling asleep.Gripping onto his shirt for dear life.

Jason's POV

Ever since the hurricaine and hearing my dad and Matt conversation. James has been on edge like really bad. Every time I try to bring it up he flips out. It started once he got a text while he was leaving.

Today he has been looking over his shoulder every where he goes. When I enter the cafeteria I know why. On every table ,wall, trash can is a poster sized picture of him kissing Dusty. He walks in and immeadiately the twins he used to hang out say

"Hows the fag doing?"

"You son of a bitch." James says

"no you talk trash about fags then secretly are one how ironic."

Everyone starts laughing and he turns and runs. Dusty follows then Kota, then luke, then me, then Matt. But before Matt could leave the twins say 

"Matt why you with the fag squad?"

He looks at me I shrug and comes over and kisses me. Then we run off. We jump in the car and follow Dusty to James's house. When we get there his dad is beating the shit out of him yelling how he's a no good faggot. Me and Dusty pull his dad off while Matt runs up and packs him a bag. His dad says "Good take the faggot I don't want to see him again."

We drive him to Dusty's place where his dad sees us while working on his bike and runs up grabbing James and brings him inside laying him on the kitchen counter. 

Miranda comes in and goes all nurse/mom on him stitching him up and applying creams left and right. 

She says"Carry him to Dusty's room hun."

Will lays him in Dusty's bed then walks out to get some food and water for him. Dusty climbs in with him and 5 minutes later the Elridges are here along with Lukes dad and Kota's mom.