3 Chapter 3: Home Days (2/2)
”You're not gonna call me an asshole?” He said, insinuating he wanted me to.
”Why would I? You're not wrong,” I said.
”So, you get into trouble like that often?”
”I can't control it,” I said.
I wasn't about to lie or mislead anyone about my condition. If those meant lines were already drawn, then so be it.
”And I thought my life was shit,” he said.
I wasn't sure, but I thought he was joking. He chuckled just enough to make it seem like a joking tone. He wasn't being serious.
”Sorry,” he said.
”For what?”
”For being an asshole,” he admitted perhaps to himself as much to me.
We exchanged a mutual awkward grin. Our parents were definitely setting us. Like most first encounters, it took us a while to feel each other out enough to get past small talk, but we got somewhere. We left our elders outside to talk inside while we grabbed a couple more drinks from the fridge.
”So, are you really strong?” I asked.
”No,” he said.
”Super smart?”
”I'm smarter than you,” he said confidently.
He had an ego on him, but he stayed aware of it enough to keep it from being obnoxious.
”Is there anything you can do?” I asked.
”I can fuck with people,” he said with a straight face.
I wasn't sure if he was joking or being serious. He'd already proven that skill if he was being honest.
”I'm kidding, its more of a 'me thing' than a 'race thing,'” he corrected.
”No extra powers or abilities at all?”
”Sorry to disappoint,” he said.
It's not every day that I met new creatures. Most days weren't like STR, where unique breeds were to be expected. Daybreak was home to creatures, but not many of them. I was curious to know about goblins. I knew satyrs were athletic and could talk to animals. I knew elves were super smart but physically weak. I knew trolls were vegetarians, orcs had lousy eyesight, and fairies were basically on a constant high from birth to death. I knew nothing about goblins, but from what my new friend told me, they didn't seem unusual at all. If not for the green skin and pointed ears, they could have been as ordinary as humans.
”You never gave me your name,” I said.
”Its Velmer. What's yours?” he said.
”I thought you knew me already.”
”I knew Danger Rabbit, not you.”
”I'm Pitch,” I said as we left the kitchen to walk around the house.
There weren't many people who got to see the way Dad and I lived. Our house was old and in need of repairs here and there, but we did our best to keep it looking presentable. Still, having someone new looking around and seeing our shortcomings put me on edge. When we got to my room, I came close to insisting we go back outside. The last thing I wanted was to have the new kid on the block ridicule me over my lack of video games, or how basic my clothes were. Then again, he hadn't said a single word about my being a human rabbit hybrid at all so far, so maybe I was paranoid. Perhaps I was overly self-conscious.
”So why didn't you invite your boyfriend to this?” Velmer asked as I let him wander around my space.
I could have picked up my dirty clothes from the floor or organized a few things, but that might have called attention to them. Maybe a little mess was typical for guys our age, I hoped. Was he my age? For all, I knew goblins could have aged super slow.
”How do you know I'm seeing someone?” I asked.
”You were making out with some guy in your driveway a few days ago.”
”You were watching us?”
”We were moving in, and you weren't discreet, but why didn't you invite him,” he reiterated.
The Gridleys had been around since Monday, but I hadn't taken notice of them until that Friday. I guess I was more distracted than I thought I was. I couldn't see any reason not to be honest, so I took a chance and opened up a little.
”We've been spending a lot of time together, I thought he'd want a break,” I said.
”He wants a break, or you do?” he asked suggestively.
”Little early to poke and probe me like that, don't you think?” I said, taken back by how forward he was.
”Slow is boring, and you're deflecting.”
”Yea, I wanted a break. He used to be my best friend, and we'd do everything together, but now whenever we're together there's this tension between us.”
”And you don't like it?” He dug in deeper.
”No. I do. I really like it, but as long as its there, it's hard to go back to just spending time as friends,” I said.
It was funny. Not too long ago, I had a hard time seeing Wes as more than a friend, but already we were well beyond that.
”So he was your only friend?” Velmer probed further.
I don't think he understood we just met, and he was asking me personal questions. Thing is his lack of awareness of how forward he was being made it easy to keep being honest.
”I had another friend, but we're not talking right now.”
”I guess you needed me,” he said, finally turning around finished with his impromptu inspection of my room.
”What? Are you declaring yourself my friend?”
”You'd be so lucky,” he said, and I somewhat agreed.
I'd taken my days to process things on my own, but nothing felt like quite the relief I found talking to Velmer. That wasn't to say he was a guru or very deep, but he was something different. He was a stranger after all, but someone other than Wes or Bj. He could have been the friend that I needed.
Later that night, after everyone got to eat, it was just my dad and me again. He tried to be the friend that I needed. After the Gridleys went home, we had some time to catch up. I never faulted my dad for not being around more. He had to work, and I got into some things I couldn't always talk about. Nonetheless, it felt good when he tried to keep close. Even if I didn't expect him to be around, I never had any doubts that he would if he could be.
Dad was washing dishes while I stuffed all the leftover food into the fridge. I was happy to have met Velmer, so much so I wished he could have hung around longer. Dad outdid himself cooking so much food we could have fed twice as many people. We sent the Gridleys home stuffed like Thanksgiving turkeys. It was a good day.
”Your mother tells me you're seeing someone,” Dad said.
And just like that, my happy aimless thoughts were shot. He shocked me, but not because he mentioned Mom. I wasn't ready to tell him about Wes yet. I nearly choked on my tongue trying to swallow my initial reaction.
”Its nothing serious,” I said with the refrigerator door acting as a barrier between us keeping my face out of view.
”You've never had a girlfriend before,” he said.
”I've had a girlfriend before,” I debated.
”Paulina from your 1st grade English class doesn't count.”
How did he know about Paulina?
”Tell me about this girl,” he said before walking over to make me close the refrigerator.
There wasn't any more food to put away.
”Well,” I said nervously.
”You can talk to me; your old man has been around.”
”The thing is,” I stumbled.
”Go on,” he said patiently, waiting.
I would have given anything to have the ceiling fall on my head at that moment.
”It's not...,” I couldn't say it.
I didn't know if I was gay or bi or whatever else. I wasn't sure if anything going on between Wes and I would last very long. Sure, when we were together it felt good, but it could have been a phase. Did I want to out myself over something that might have been a phase?
”It's not a girl,” I said.
He didn't react, or if he did, it wasn't in a way I expected.
”I'm waiting,” he said.
”That was it.”
”Haven't I always said 'I wouldn't care who you bring home'...”
”...' as long as I don't bring home a baby,'” I finished his sentence.
Of course, I remembered his rule, but I didn't think he'd take it so smoothly.
”So who is he,” he asked, leaning against the kitchen counter sipping from a beer that must have been warm from sitting out in the sun all day.
”Its Wes,” I said nonchalantly.
I believed there was nothing to worry about, so I dropped the bomb like an apple. He spat his drink across the room harder than a bottle rocket
”I thought you said!” I exclaimed.
”No, no, it's fine,” he said, trying to backtrack from his clear and distinct reaction.
”Is it?”
”Yes...but why, and when ...and why?” He asked.
”Dad,” I exclaimed again.