Cuckoo {Adam Lambert} ✔️

Chapter 25

{Yesterday was Halloween!! It's really cold here today which is a bummer. The weather people say that it might snow which is very abnormal here in Indiana (America). Anyways... Happy Halloween and enjoy the 25th chapter of Cuckoo!}
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"Is that Riff?" I ask while leaning forward.

"Yep, cute isn't he?" Adam says with a smile as we pull into a parking space at the park that we were camping at.

"Adorable," I click the seatbelt button and get out of the car. Adam does the same but I wait for him to lead the way. I have never met Riff, Lee or Scarlet so I don't really know what to expect.

"Adum!!" Riff yells as he takes off in a sprint towards us. Adam holds out his arms for him to jump into. Adam catches him and spins around in a circle. He lets Riff down and he races towards his parents, pointing in our direction.

"I take that back. More than adorable. Especially the way he says your name!" Adam smiles at my words and wraps his arm around my shoulders. I lean onto him as we walk across the grass towards the Cherry family.

"Adam! Long time no see!" Lee says and does a bro hug with Adam.

"What about me?" Scarlet asks. Adam pulls one arm off of Lee and pulls in Scarlet for the group hug.

I look down and see the 3 year old Riff pulling strands of grass out of the ground. I sit down next to the toddler and start playing with the grass. I find a flower and I give it to him. He smiles and takes it from my hand and sticks it in his pocket. All you could see were only 3 purple dots coming out of his pocket. He continues pulling at the grass and I notice Adam stealthily walking up behind him. Adam stops behind the oblivious Riff and gets a mischievous grin. He quickly pulls Riff off the grass and flings him onto his shoulders.

"Adum you scared me!" The little boy giggles.

"Hey Riff... Do you want to help build the tents?"

"Yeah!" Riff fist pumped into the air. Seriously... He is so cute!

Adam, with Riff on his shoulders, hiked over to where Lee and Scarlet had already started setting up their tent. I just followed along quietly. Adam put down Riff next to his father and Adam started walking in my direction.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine... Why did you ask?"

"You seem off today..?"

"Well it probably doesn't help that I'm really shy."

"We'll start a conversation and it won't be bad. Come on, let's go build our tent." He gave me a reassuring smile and I returned one. He intertwined his fingers with mine and we walked over to the car with all if our supplies.

"Adam, why do you always hold my hand?"

"What?" Adam looked down at our hands and let go as soon as he saw. "I'm sorry... Does it bother you?"

"No, not at all. I was just wondering why you do it..."

"I guess it's a habit from being out with Sauli. We would do that... A lot..." I could tell that the memory just dimmed his mood. It must've really hurt him... But I guess I would be the same way if I found out that my boyfriend was cheating on me.

He unlocked the trunk and pulled out 3 bags. 2 bags were fold up, camping chairs and the other bag was the tent. I picked up the 2 chairs and let Adam shut the trunk and carry the tent. We walked back over to our area and set everything up. We were about 35 feet away from the Cherry's tent, leaving room for the fire pit in the middle. I set down the chairs an helped Adam set up the tent. Well... I mostly did the work. Adam has absolutely no idea of how to construct a tent.

"Hey, come with me." Adam says and pulls me away before my brain can even process. We go through some leafs and trees until we hit a path. "How did you know how to set up the tent that fast?"

"This definitely isn't my first rodeo. I have camped maybe 6 or 7 times. I know how to do some things."

"Do you know how to start a fire?"

"With a match or a lighter, that would be a yes. Have you ever gone camping before?"

"We, as in my family, used to camp up here all the time. Neil and dad would always want to go hunting but I just stayed back and hung out with mom. She always did things that were more my style. She once taught me how to make a flower crown and I can still make one," Adam says as we walk down the worn path. "Its funny... Most of my childhood memories are just being with my mother. I never really got to know my dad because I always felt too scared of him finding out I was gay. I was worried about him not loving me anymore. That is why I told my mother instead of him." He goes silent but it's not awkward. I take my opportunity to speak up.

"When I was growing up my father was never around. I only have memories if my mom. When they split up and my mom moved away, I was scared to live with him. I didn't know what it would be like because all throughout my child, I only got to be with him once or twice. When he was home he would be asleep because he worked during the afternoon. My mom would work while I was at school," I admitted. "During the first few years I had to learn so much on my own. Even though he is the one that got custody of me... He still wasn't there. I was only in 4th grade, just 10 years old, and I learned how to live on my own. He just doesn't care. I really wonder if anyone cares about him treating me like that..."

"Well you know who cares about you? I do. And I'm sure that every person that you have told cares about you." He states while looking at me with his piercing blue eyes.

"Truth is... Your the only person that knows about it..."

"See you gotta speak up! It's like with the bullies, you gotta speak up! When you do that people will notice and help. Trust me... I know about this stuff."
"Oh really! How do you know that people will come to my rescue?!" I didn't really mean to snap but I don't enjoy this topic.

"Well... I was that little insecure kid in school. I had no muscle and I was chubby. Also I was a ginger with bad acne and freckles. I hated that so much that I tried to cover that up."

"Yeah I'm not a big fan of being a ginger either. Also I have bad acne as well! But hey, the freckles are cute on us."

"But do you get bullied for that?" I shook my head in response, " Well I did... But that all changed when I told my mom about it. Suddenly it cleared up a little bug and I didn't have enemies anymore. In 8th grade was when I became happier."

"Ya know... 8th grade was the time that I became a Glambert. I became happier as well." The silence grows again until Adam breaks it.

"All in all... I guess we both have had a few rough spots in our past."

"Yeah I guess we do. We both have had our share in ups and downs," I take my eyes away from his and glue them to the path, only a smile crept it's way onto my face.

"Hey, thanks for speaking up for me to Sauli." Adam says and I know he has a smile. I take his hand in mine and add on to his statement. "Thanks for caring about me."