Kiss Me Slowly

Chapter 9: The Dinner

Pic above is Carter (AKA Paul Wesley)—Just imagine him with red hair

Chapter 9: The Dinner

"What?" Denny asked, confused. "What do you mean, you don't want to?" I swallowed. How to explain it?

"Wouldn't you be weird if your ex and his husband wanted to adopt you as their son?" I responded. It was part of the truth. But I couldn't very well say, 'I don't want to move in because I'm afraid your husband will jump me.' Why kind of answer is that?

"What kind of answer is that?" I blinked and looked at Denny. He'd just echoed my thoughts. "You don't want to move in because Kenny's your ex?" He repeated, unbelievingly.

Well, part of it, anyway. "Kind of." I said, but it came out more of a question.

"Well what's the rest of it? What did you tell him?"

"I-I didn't really tell him anything." I admitted. "I kind of panicked and ran after he yelled at me for—" I stopped.

"He yelled at you? For what?"

Shit. "Nothing. Never mind. Can we not talk about this?"

"Why not?" Denny pressed, irritated.

"Because I don't really want to talk about it." I answered, equally frustrated.

"Why not?" He asked again. "It's not hard to explain why you don't want to. You literally voice your thoughts." I sighed. "Why don't you want us to adopt you?" He asked.

"I'm practically 18, so what's the—"

"What's the point?" Denny interrupted. "Maybe to hang out with us. Maybe to know what it feels like to have a caring father? Maybe because we want to?! Maybe, because someone cares about you, and your just too afraid to admit that!"

I sat stunned. Was I afraid?

"Why won't you tell me the truth?" He asked quietly. I closed my eyes and sighed.

"I don't want to hurt you." I whispered.

"Why would you hurt me?"

I bit my lip and shook my head. "If I tell you, it would hurt you."

"Ethan..."

"I can't tell you Denny." I said. "I won't tell you." He sighed.

"Is it going to physically hurt me? Or you? Or anyone else?" He asked. I shook my head. "Then surely it can't be that bad?" I shook my head again. He looked at me again before turning to his food. "The longer you withhold it, the worse it'll be."

I bit my lip. "I just don't know how you're going to take it. Will you be mad, or frustrated, or just disappointed? Will you calmly tell me it only happened once, or start chucking tables? I just don't know!" I put my elbows on the table and sunk my head down.

"What only happened once?" He asked warily.

"Kenny kissed me." I whispered lowly so not even I could hear it.

"What?" I gulped.

"K-Kenny kissed me." I said a little louder.

"I still didn't get that," He told me. I licked my lips nervously. Denny put a hand on my arm. "Just tell me. I'm sure it can't be that—"

"Kenny kissed me." I practically shouted, looking up. His expression was blank. Was he in shock or something? I swallowed a lump in my throat. "A-and I-I kissed him back." Silence. "I'm sorry." I whispered. Before he could react, I grabbed my jacket and ran out. He called my name, but I kept running.