Foster Brother |BXB|✓

Chapter 4: Awkward Dinner Parties

Owen and I have completed 3 entire days of him shadowing me at school without killing each other which I would say is a huge success. After the incident on Monday, we haven't talked much, just when it is needed. He has actually become fairly decent friends with a few of the people I hang out with at school which is good and bad. Good because he is making friends and I won't have to worry about him making friends with shitty people. And bad because it probably means he will stick around after he is done shadowing me and not getting a break from him at school for the rest of the school year might actually drive me clinically insane.

Today is the second to last day of this torture and like the rest, it is starting out with my mom making us breakfast, the one highlight of the day. Breakfast will forever always be my favorite meal.

"Sweetheart, your sister is coming for dinner tonight and she is bringing Preston with her! So don't be late coming home," mom says sternly. My face falls ever so slightly at the thought, I manage to hide it from my mom but I'm instantly caught by Owen, who is sending me strange looks. We eat quickly and head out the door, with me dreading the walk with Owen.

"Do you not like your sister?" Owen blurted out, interesting that he now wants to talk to me.

"No, nothing is wrong with my sister, I love her," I mutter hoping he will take the hint and drop it.

"Then why the long face earlier? Your face doesn't fall like that for no reason," he insisted. I choose to ignore him this time, he doesn't need to know nor does he deserve to know. "Oh I got it, it's the guy that you don't like," when I don't answer he looks pleased like he has figured the situation out. If only he knew how wrong he truly was.

I don't hate Preston, not even a little. In fact, my feelings are basically on the polar opposite spectrum of that. You see, Preston was introduced to our family when April was a freshman in high school. At the time they were just really good friends, Preston was around all the time and I got close to him. When April and he were seniors in high school I was starting my freshman year and they still weren't dating. Preston and I became even closer once I was in high school, sometimes even hanging out without April. That is about the time I started to notice things about him. I noticed he was extremely attractive, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty, with a jawline so sharp it could cut you. I found myself thinking about him, more than I should, at times I shouldn't be thinking about other guys. I developed my first full-blown, heart-wrenching crush on a boy. And then he asked my sister to be his girlfriend. It broke me. I mean it should have surprised me, they were literally meant for each other. My sister's dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes were the perfect complements to his looks. Not to mention the way they fit together, her small frame fitting perfectly in his large one. 

Within my first year of highschool, I realized I was gay, crushed big time, and had my heart stomped on, with no one even blinking an eye in my direction. But, it's been a few years. Although I haven't had another crush on a guy, I was able to come out to my family and move on from Preston. At least moved on until I see his stupid beautiful face again and I'm reminded all over.

The school day is completely uneventful, at least, my day really didn't need to get much worse than it is right now. At lunch, my two best guy friends, Adian and Mateo, completely cheer me up. Acting like the complete and total idiots they are but successfully bring a smile to my face. Owen even seems to crack a smile or two. The only ones who don't laugh at them are Sadie and Raelynn, mostly because the jokes were about them.

The day goes by all too fast, a complaint I normally wouldn't have about school but I'm dreading what is to come with dinner tonight. Owen hasn't seemed to drop his theory about me hating my sister's fiance, but he has stopped bringing it up every time he could. I just hope he doesn't try to bring anything up over dinner because that could make things very weird, very fast. Obviously, my parents know about me being gay but they do not know that my feelings started with Preston.

"So is your sister hot?" Owen asks as we walk home.

"What kind of question is that? She is my sister!" I half yell, throwing my hands in the air. I roll my eyes at Owen when he just shrugged in response. This boy is the most annoying human in the world.

One short hour later and the guests of honor have arrived. April rushes over to me as soon as she walks into the house and pulls me into a bone-crushing hug. April and I have always been close, meaning this is how I am greeted every time she sees me.

"I missed you, little bro!"

"I missed you too April," I say my voice being slightly muffled due to her hug.

"Matty-Matt-Matt," Preston shouts, "It's my favorite little guy!"

"I'm not little, how many times do I need to tell you that?" I say with a smile across my face as Preston and I do our signature handshake. I look across the room and see Owen, his head cocked to the side, a look of confusion and intrigue played on his face.

"You must be Owen," April says, finally spotting him, "don't wreck my room, kid!"

"Already did," Owen retorts not missing a beat.

"I like this kid," April laughs with a hint of mischief in her eyes. April, for sure, has always been the more reckless of the two of us, meaning Owen and she will get along great.

After a few short conversations, we are called to the dinner table. To my dismay, I take the last available seat, next to Preston and across from Owen. The last thing I need is to be this close to Preston throughout dinner and have Owen across from me putting two and two together.

"Do you have a romantic interest yet Matt?" Preston asks, turning his body slightly toward me. I know he is choosing his words carefully, probably completely aware that I would not have told Owen yet.

"Nah," I said, feeling my cheeks turn slightly pink, my words a complete lie.

"That fine! I mean look at me, I didn't get into a relationship until the end of my senior year and I am going to marry that girl," he replies back patting me lightly on the shoulder.

The conversation remains mostly focused on Owen or April's and Preston's wedding plans, which sounds annoying but it is honestly better than having the attention on me. I am usually fine with having attention on me but with Owen's watchful eyes and Preston's presence putting me on edge, I'll take the silence.

Time starts passing faster and I feel myself starting to relax more, re-getting myself used to Preston's presence and Owen seeming to give up on trying to figure out my deal with Preston. After dinner we sit in the living room, laughing and joking around as always. I find myself zoning out of the conversation, my attention solely being placed on Preston. He's sitting on the couch across from me, running his fingers through his blonde hair, causing his arm muscles to flex. It's a sight I will never get used to and it takes me a minute to recover myself. My face feels warmer than normal, meaning I'm blushing. I look around to see if anyone has noticed and my face instantly cools down and pales as I lock eyes with a smirking Owen. His eyes saying it all, he has figured it out.

I silently pray for April and Preston to never leave, knowing that I have no chance of that coming true. Soon enough I would have to face the all-knowing Owen. And it looks like that time is coming sooner than later.