Within the Lines

29.

I'd never been happier, seeing my mom step out of a taxi and watching a wide grin spread across her face like her Christmas and her birthday came at once when she saw me.

Chiara and Dad were great people, they honestly were. But they couldn't really help me with the Atticus situation. Atticus and I had told them we were dating for a little while, and now it was over. I could tell both Chiara and Dad were concerned, but there wasn't a lot they could do about us living in the same house and being confronted with each other, even if it was over now.

Mom, on the other hand, could give me an outsider's perspective, and she could hopefully take me into her new apartment soon.

I practically leapt into my mom's arms and engulfed her in a big hug. "Hi Mom, how was your flight?" I asked.

"Whoa, a big welcome." Mom laughed while rubbing my back. "Good. Good." She looked around and raised an eyebrow at me. "Were you waiting at the hotel alone? Paul and Chiara didn't come with you?"

"Uh, yeah. I told them I could wait on my own," I said. "Atticus had to go to practice."

Judging from the corners of her mouth, Mom didn't seem to like leaving me here alone, but commented no further as we collected the key to our room and moved upstairs.

Keeping my mouth shut was difficult. I'd been difficult ever since I started dating and then broke up with Atticus, but I'd wanted to respect Atticus' privacy. Now, I just didn't want to keep the secret anymore. Dad and Chiara already knew, and it wasn't like me at all to keep secrets for long. It didn't work when I was in the closet. It didn't work when I found out Atticus liked me, and it still didn't when we dated. It was better if Mom heard it from me now.

Before the door even closed behind Mom her, I blurted: "I have a confession to make."

Mom placed her bag on the floor and released her curly hair from her messy bun. She didn't even seem surprised at what I said. It wasn't the first time I'd blurted these words to her the moment she saw me.

"And what's that?" she asked.

"You already met my boyfriend. Well, ex-boyfriend."

Mom blinked in surprise. "I have? Don't tell me: does he live in Greensboro?"

"No..." I replied, drawing out the word.

"So, he does live here?"

"Yep."

Mom laughed. "But the only people from here I've met are Chiara, Paul, and their son..." Mom's expression changed. Her jaw went slack. "Oh."

"Yep," I said again, taking a seat on the bed and pressing my hands together. "And it blew up in my face. And worse: in his face, too. He can't handle the attention and remarks we'd get if we dated publicly."

"Oh Kade, silly, what have you done this time," Mom muttered, sitting down next to me and brushing her fingers through my hair.

Brushing was a good sign, right? Unless she was only reaching for my head so she could drag me by the hair to the door and kick me out next.

"You're not... mad?" I asked carefully. "Chiara and Dad weren't, but they're worried. Especially about Atticus because he so nervous now he can't play football well."

"Mad isn't the right word." Mom sighed. "Look, there are worse things you could've done. You're... At home coming out as gay was one of the hardest things you could do. Here, you choose to date the one person you really can't have. I shouldn't be surprised, though. You always insist on finding the worst ideas and dive in head first."