Breaking Free by Isabel Lucero

35

Weeks pass,and everything between me and Trevor keeps getting better and better. I spend so much time at his house, I feel like I should be paying for the utilities at least.

Halloween came and went, and after spending time with my mom, passing out candy, Trevor and I went to a party at Jay’s frat. We dressed as Maverick and Iceman from the movie Top Gun, because, come on, we all know those two wanted each other. That movie is ripe with homoeroticism. Trevor didn’t want to wear towels like they did in the locker room scene, so flight suits it was.

If people hadn’t figured out we were together before the Halloween party, they definitely found out then, because we could hardly keep our hands off each other. Maybe the flight suits weren’t a bad idea, because Trevor looked damn good in his.

It’s now the middle of November, and we’re quickly approaching Thanksgiving break. Mom’s already asked me if Trevor will join us, but I’ve yet to ask him. I know his parents always have something, so I don’t want to put him in a hard spot.

“Hey, I have a question for you,” he says, coming from around the back of the couch and dropping next to me with a bowl of popcorn.

“Okay.” I take a few pieces and toss them in my mouth as I pull Netflix up on the TV.

“Thanksgiving.”

I angle my head and study him. “What about it?”

“I was wondering if after you spend time with your mom, if you wanted to come to my parents house?”

I remove my feet from the coffee table and plant them on the floor, shifting to face him. “You want me to meet your parents?”

“Is that weird? I’ve met your mom.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s not weird at all. I guess I just wasn’t expecting that. My mom was actually asking if you were gonna come to our house,” I say with a laugh.

“Oh really?”

“Think we can eat two Thanksgiving dinners?”

He grins. “I think we can manage.”

“So a holiday with the parents. Are we growing up?”

With a snort, he says, “I hope not.”

* * *

Thanksgiving day arrivesand the knots in my stomach make me feel like I won’t be able to eat anything at all. I’m not nervous about him coming to eat with me and my mom. We’ve all been together on a few occasions, but meeting his parents is another story. I’ve never met someone’s parents before. What if they don’t like me? What if they’re not really okay with their son being gay? So many what ifs.

The plan is to eat here at my place with my mom first since she gets up hella early to start cooking and the food will be ready by noon. His parents plan to have food ready around six.

“When’s he gonna be here?” Mom asks from her place in front of the stove.

“He texted me before he left, so probably soon. You need any help with anything?”

“Can you set the table?”

I get the plates and glasses and put them around our four person table, leaving what was usually my dad’s place empty. When I enter the kitchen again for silverware, Mom stops me by placing a hand on my shoulder.

“I’m really happy you have someone.”

I smile. “Me too, Mom. I really like him.”

She playfully smacks me as she goes back to cooking. “I can tell. You seem happier.”

“How are you doing?” I ask.

“You know? I’m okay. I had a minor breakdown this morning, because I’m used to your dad complaining about me getting up early and waking him up, but also requesting I make him a lemon cake.” She takes a breath. “But then I remembered how he was the only one who ate that nasty cake, and now I can make any cake I want. So I’m making strawberry cake.” She gives me a small grin. “Grief comes and goes, like waves, you know? Sometimes it’s not so bad and easy to tread, other times it feels like the waves are crashing over my head and trying to drown me. Either way, I wake up a little happier, and now that I secured the job with Mr. Anderson I’m feeling pretty good.”

Dex came through and got his dad to hire my mom. She’s a little more carefree now that she doesn’t have to stress about job interviews or worry she’ll never have a paycheck again. Dex’s dad pays well, but it definitely comes with long hours. Mom hasn’t worked there long, but she hasn’t complained yet.

I kiss the top of her head right before the doorbell rings.

“Food’s almost ready,” she says as I make my way to the door.

When I open it up, Trevor’s on the porch with his back toward me. He’s wearing a pair of khaki-colored chinos that make his ass look fantastic. When he spins around with a smile on his face, I take in the light green button up shirt that highlights his eyes, and the way it fits him like it was tailor made for him only.

“Wow. You’re making me feel completely underdressed.” I lean to kiss him and whisper, “And beyond turned on.”

He chuckles. “You look good. What’re you talking about?”

I glance down at my jeans and T-shirt. “Right. Well, I’m definitely changing before we go to your parents house.”

When we step inside, Mom pops around the corner. “Hey, Trevor. Wow, you look good. Food’s almost ready, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.”

It doesn’t take long before we’re all seated around the table, eating and talking.

“How’s school?” Mom asks us both.

“Pretty good,” Trevor answers. “I struggled a bit with chemistry, but other than that I’m doing okay.”

Mom nods. “What are you planning on doing after school?”

I listen intently, because it’s something we’ve actually never talked about.

“Well, it’s changed a few times, but I think I’ve settled on being a teacher. Probably middle or high school.”

“That’s a good one. Not nearly appreciated enough, but I think you’d be a great influence on people’s lives.”

He grins. “I hope so.” His eyes flicker to mine. “What about you?”

My mom smiles, reaching over to touch my arm. “Dominic’s gonna be a therapist.”

“Oh yeah?” he asks, digging his fork into some mashed potatoes. “What kind?”

“A child therapist.”

He nods, his eyes lingering on me for a while. He knows why I’d choose that, based on what I’ve told him about my own childhood.

“Both of you wanting to work with kids and have an impact on their lives is amazing,” Mom says. “I’m proud of you both.”

Once we finish our meal, including having some strawberry cake for dessert, Mom heads over to Ms. Anne’s house with an array of food, and me and Trevor get some time to hang out alone.

“I probably shouldn’t have eaten as much as I did,” I complain as I rub my stomach. “Gonna need to work out extra hard tomorrow.”

“Besides the stuff we do for football, what do you do to work out?”

“I run when I have time, and do any and everything I can at home. Sit-ups, pushups, shit like that. I used to be better at going to the gym all the time, but I’ve been preoccupied,” I say, giving him a wink.

“Oh, it’s me that’s kept you preoccupied? Not transferring schools, moving to a different town, acing all your homework, working, and playing football?”

I shake my head. “Nope. Just you. It’s a lot of work to get the closeted kid who says he hates you to admit he really wants you.”

He shoves me. “Shut up.”

I wrap an arm around him as we sit on the couch and laugh. “I’m glad my hard work paid off.”

He’s quiet for a minute before he speaks up. “Why did you try?”

“What?”

“I’ll admit you made some efforts in getting and keeping my attention. I kept trying to push you away, but you didn’t let me. Especially after saying you didn’t want to start anything with me when you first saw me in the locker room.”

I grin. “I was full of shit. You said I was a drunken mistake. I wasn’t about to let that go without having a response. I loved that you came in my hand so fast. Means you were really into it.”

A light red color stretches across his cheeks. “Let’s not bring that up again.”

“Look, I’ll be honest. I was really attracted to you the first night we met. I wanted to fuck you right there in that bathroom. When I saw you in the locker room, I figured the universe was finally giving me some good juju or something. I needed to try to get you alone again.” I take a breath. “Focusing my attention on you was a good way to keep me from thinking about all the bad shit that was happening around me. I know that doesn’t sound the greatest, but you were this little bright light in my darkness. Even all your moody bullshit.” He makes a face, making me grin, but I continue. “When we’re together, you give me this sense of control I need. You yield to me in a way that makes my dick hard just thinking about it. And yet, I know I’d do absolutely anything for you. In that way, you have a type of control over me. We’re perfect for each other. I told you that.” I rub a hand down my face, not used to spilling my guts like this. “Eventually, I realized it was more than me just wanting to fuck you. I liked being around you. I’ve never chased after someone before. From the get-go, I knew something was different about you.” I shrug, feeling weird. “Anyway, I don’t know. Does that answer your question?”

His eyes stare deeply into mine, and I can’t quite read the emotion in them. Shock? Awe? He grabs my face with one hand and presses his lips to mine. We stay connected for several seconds, and he plants a few more soft kisses on me.

“Thank you,” he says quietly, still holding on to my face.

We don’t get to discuss this further, because Mom comes back in, but I hope we can get back to this later.