Don't be Shy ✓

22. last chapter

Tears trickled down Seb's cheeks in the deafening silence. All three just stood there, all waiting for different things. His mother waited for a response, that was quite clear.  His dad waited for his wife to say something more, to take the words back. Seb waited for a way to find his voice. 

As the seconds passed, the tension grew. It grew and festered until it squeezed around Seb's belly. He just wanted to walk away, but his body wouldn't cooperate. 

"What did you say?" his dad asked, trying to nudge his wife to say something else. 

"You heard me!"

"Then get out," his dad replied. 

As Seb's mother still held her eyes on Seb, a smile grew on her lips. 

"Yes, you heard your father. Get out," she snapped.

Seb turned to his dad, confused and afraid. What's happening? He could barely breathe, but as he saw his dad stare with a look of pure hatred directed towards his wife, Seb knew that his dad hadn't meant that he should get out: He meant that she should get out. 

Finally the message seemed to go through. Seb saw it in his mother's face; in her expression that turned from smug to bewildered. She had not seen that coming. Seb didn't know how to feel about it all. He didn't wish for his parents to fight because of him. They had been married for twenty years, that wasn't something you just threw down the drain.

Another silence stretched, one that was equally uncomfortable.

"I'm serious," his dad continued, and that seemed to turn their world upside down. Everything that had been their life, their family, simply vanished. It wasn't a slow change, it wasn't subtle: It was the opposite.

"You can't be," she replied, her voice meek, lost. She was lost. Seb could hear it. He could see how she crumbled from the once intimidating woman down to a little insecure girl surrounded by bitterness.

"You're ruining the life of our only son. I won't allow you to do that. So leave!"

Her confusion seemed to dissipate; her bitterness into anger. "You're choosing him over me? That faggot? God will punish you, and you know it!"

"When did you turn into such an unpleasant woman?" Seb gasped at his dad's words. He never said bad things like that to anyone. 

"I'm not leaving!" She placed her hand on her hip for effect, but his dad didn't seem to care anymore. It was as if he knew the fight had been lost a long while ago, and that he should have seen it earlier. 

"You are. I'll pay for the hotel tonight, after that I suggest you head down to your sister, or find another place."

She turned her back on them, took out the dinner from the oven and threw it in the sink. "There, you can tell the Marsdens that you ruined dinner," she said, as if that was the important matter at the moment, as if nothing else had changed. 

Pointing a finger at her son, she yelled, "I'll get you for this, destroying our family with your wild behavior. You will regret this!"

Before Seb had time to think of a reply, or even walk away, his dad placed a reassuring arm across his shoulders. "Just let her leave." Seb looked up at his dad; it pained him to see the defeated look in those eyes, but he knew he shouldn't interfere. His dad had made his decision, and in one way he was grateful beyond words. She had wanted to kick him out. What if his dad had meant it the way she interpreted it... then he wouldn't have a home anymore. 

As Seb's mother had left the kitchen, Seb buried his face in his dad's chest. "I'm so sorry!" he snivelled. 

"There's nothing to be sorry for."

"Yes there is..."

"Seb, do you really think I would want to live with a woman who says something like that to their only child?"

He thought about it for a while. He didn't know what he was supposed to feel or think, but he agreed. Perhaps it was easy because he knew what a strange woman his mother had become these past few years, or perhaps it was because he just wanted to be accepted no matter what, in any case he knew that he wasn't feeling half as sad as he should. 

"Dad, I would really like to go to Kaiden's house tonight."

"I know, son, and perhaps that's a good idea. I'll drive you myself." With that, his dad forced a small smile and nudged Seb to follow. 

The drive to Kaiden's house was filled with another silence, but it was of another kind. It was a peaceful silence, one that allowed them to settle into their respective emotions. 

"Will you be okay?" his dad asked as he was about to close the car door. 

"Yes, I think so. What about you?" He didn't want to tell his dad exactly how he felt, because that would just be distasteful. He knew perfectly well that he shouldn't dislike his mother. However, his rational thoughts couldn't really determine how he felt inside. He was relieved to the point where he wondered how much weight his mother had placed on his shoulders. He felt so much lighter, as if nothing could go wrong from this point. 

"Don't worry about me, I'm a big boy, remember?" his dad replied, forcing another cheerful smile. 

"Are you sure?" Seb pressed. 

Both of them turned their attention to the person walking down the drive way, their footsteps echoing a little in the clear evening air. "Seb, you're here, thank heavens!" Kaiden said, cradling Seb against his chest. "I'm so sorry!" 

Seb was a little embarrassed: They hadn't shown their affections towards each other so openly in front of his dad before. 

"Just take care of him, Kaiden," his dad said from the car. 

"Yes, Sir, I will!" 

"That's what I wanted to hear." He nodded, closed the window and started to drive away.

"Did we just get a blessing from your dad?" Kaiden asked.

"I think so." Seb smiled and pressed his lips against Kaiden's, just a little, but still enough to get that tingling sensation to spread throughout his body.

They hadn't heard him stop, but it was quite obvious that he had when Seb's dad suddenly shouted, "But keep your hands you yourself Kaiden, don't molest my son!" 

"I wouldn't dream of it, Sir," Kaiden replied, taking a small little step away from Seb to appease the man. That seemed to pacify him as the window rolled up for a second time. Seb and Kaiden watched as the car drove away and left the street. 

"So, he kicked her out?" Kaiden asked. 

"Yeah, I don't really understand, but I think he did." 

"Wow... so, how many hours do we have?" Kaiden took a step closer again and sneaked his arm around Seb's waist. 

"A couple I believe. It's not that late yet, and Dad doesn't need me home until one."

"Good, a few hours to molest my boyfriend then," Kaiden said, grinning wide. 

"I thought we promised him no molesting, or that you did at least." Seb shot his boyfriend a teasing stare. 

"I just said I wouldn't dream of it, and besides, it's not molesting..." Kaiden winked, then chuckled as Seb's lips parted in a silent plea. "First dinner with my parents, then when they go to bed, we'll have the entire second floor to ourselves."

"Do we need the entire floor? Isn't it enough with your bed?" Seb asked, nipping at his boyfriend's lower lip. 

"Who knows..." Kaiden said, chuckling as he saw Seb's eyes widen. 

Then they walked into the house, savoring the evening that had changed so much. An evening that wasn't over just yet. An evening that was the start of something different, something new, and hopefully something wonderful. 

A/N Thank you all for reading :) I hope you enjoyed the story.