The truck bounced down the driveway and pulled up besides Nick's home, though it was more a house then a home to Nick. Wes leaned on the wheel and glanced at his young buddy. "Feeling better?" Nick nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. I just panicked last night." He looked up at the farmhouse and sighed, "Now to explain to the Major why I didn't come home last night."
Wes smiled, "I'll come with you, he might believe you if I tell him."
Nick let out short sigh "I don't know, you don't know him like I do, he isn't afraid to express himself in front of strangers."
"How bad can he be?" Wes asked with a wry grin already stepping out of his truck and sauntering up to the kitchen door.
Nick reluctantly got out and followed as they walked into the house. He wasn't surprised to see the Major already sitting at the kitchen table waiting for him. He came to a halt beside Wes and took a deep breath of air.
"Dad..." he said trying to keep the nervous tone out of his small voice.
The Major folded his paper neatly and set it aside and looked up from his breakfast, "Where have you been?" he asked simply. There was no wasting time with the Major, he was always abrupt and to the point.
Wes tried to answer, "He was staying with me, Mister."
"Major," Major Duval corrected the boy as he slowly began to stir his coffee, "And I wasn't asking you kid."
Nick stepped up to the table, "It was me, I decided to stay over at Wes's rather than come home, it was late, stuff happened and I was exhausted from it."
The Major kept his tones level, a quiet voice that belied an iron resolve, "What are you doing in that jacket? I thought you gave that back." He considered it a moment, "did you lose yours again?"
Nick took a deep breath, "I-"
The phone rang mercifully. Jackie ran to answer. The Major gave it his attention; when she extended it to him, he rose. "Don't move, either of you."
Nick glanced over at Wes and mouthed that he was sorry. Wes just shrugged it off; he was used to parent's attitudes towards him, and he didn't let it bother him.
The Major listened into the receiver intently; every so often he glanced over towards Nick. Nick watched as the Major's shoulders squared and his jaw tensed. The grip on the phone tightened until his knuckles turned white. His yes's became more punctuated and Nick knew that something was very wrong.
"Thank you." The major said simply as he hung the receiver back into its cradle and stood there a moment as he stared at the wall. Jackie moved in to lay a hand on his arm, but withdrew it when he threw her a fierce look.
Nick had never seen that look on his father's face before; something was wrong, very wrong. He stepped forward and arched an eyebrow questioningly, "Dad?"
The Major exploded into action and Nick was propelled up against the wall as the Major threw him up against it pinning him there, "Is it true?" he demanded, almost screaming the words.
The shock of the violence froze everyone in the room, and Nick stared wide-eyed into his fathers rage filled face, "What?"
"Dan!" Jackie yelled as she tried to pry her husband's hands from Nick's shirt, trying to get him down, "Dan stop!"
"Is it true?" The Major screamed again, "Is what she said true? Is that why you were so 'exhausted'? Were you up all night making out with a fag? You bring shame upon this family. I will not allow you to ruin your life for a boy, a boy Nick why?"
Wes darted into action wresting Nick's father's hands from his son, pulling Nick free and stepping between them protectively as Nick dropped to the ground and scrambled back towards the table. "Stop!" He said holding a hand up.
Nick trembled in shock as his father tried to move around his friend to get at him again; he had never seen his father so enraged. Even the times when he had lashed out at Nick during arguments, he had never thrown such fury at him, never shown such hatred.
"Get out of my way!" the major barked, a terse order.
Wes stared at the man looming over him, and squared his shoulders, "You're going to have to go through me, and when you're done my next stop will be the police station, and you will have to explain to them why you beat the shit out of two teenagers." He smiled, "Can you spell deportation?"
He realized he had no other option and the Major turned his back, "Get out!" He screamed. By now the Major's face had turned a bright crimson colour.
"Get to the truck, Duval." Wes said evenly, continuing to keep himself between them. He looked up at the larger man, "I'm going to be back in four hours for Nick's stuff, you will have it ready."
"Get out!" the Major bellowed slamming his fists heavily against the wall.
Nick rushed out of the back door and was already scrambling into the truck like a frightened jack rabbit when Wes calmly walked out of the back door. "Run," Nick's father bellowed after them, "and don't ever come back!"
Wes shook his head in disgust as he climbed into the truck and slammed it into reverse, backing away from the house as slowly as he could in attempt to annoy the Major even further for what he'd just done to Nick. Meanwhile Nick sat in the truck barely focused, staring at his house and his father standing before it screaming obscenities after them.
When they finally returned to Wes's house Sapphire was cradling a cup of coffee watching the news. She looked up confused at first, but instantly flew into a protective mode when she saw how upset Nick was about the recent happenings, guiding him to the couch, her arm about his shoulders. She looked up at Wes expectantly for answers and he explained simply about the phone call and what had happened at Nick's.
"Daisy, I swear I'm goin' to seriously hurt that girl when I see her." she snarled like a lioness who had just found out one of her cubs had been attacked, she stood and stalked towards the kitchen as Wes sat down beside Nick.
"Dude, you gonna' be okay?" he asked in concern.
"What am I going to do?" Nick frowned up at him, "What the hell was that?" he asked in confusion, "How did he know, I don't even know..."
"Look, you're staying here until you can get yourself sorted out. Don't worry about that. As for the rest," Wes glanced towards the kitchen where Sapphire was talking furiously into a phone, "Sapphire's trying to find out now, although I think all of us already know how he found out, don't we?"
Nick sighed and nodded slowly, wiping his face with the back of his hand when he allowed a small tear to escape it's prison. Nick hadn't cried for what seemed forever, he wouldn't allow himself to start now. As his father always says 'crying is weakness kid, you cry and that means the other person has won. Nobody wants a sobbing loser.'
Sapphire returned to them a moment later, her face was livid, "I was right," she shook her head, "She called your dad this morning to tell him, I can't believe her." she sat down wrapping her arms around Nick again, "Nick, I'm so sorry. None of this should ever be happening to someone as amazing as you, I swear I will do everything I can to help you."
Nick's head sank against her shoulder, he felt the rush of emotion catch up and overwhelm him and he clutched onto Sapphire for emotional support.
Nick didn't feel like being at school, he felt as though everyone knew what had happened to him. His English teacher, Mister Greenwood, had given him a knowing look in class and simply left him alone. Other students simply whispered behind their hands as they nodded at him in the halls. He felt heavy-hearted as he walked around, so painfully aware that life was never going to be the same for him.
Sapphire was keeping a close eye on him, refusing to let him out of her sight. Ordinarily he would have felt smothered by her constant attention, but he needed her there with him. He needed her when he felt the world crashing down upon him. When the stares began to get to him. When the whispers became too loud for him to ignore. Wes had been, typically, exactly what Nick needed; a firm and responsible adult, making decisions that had to be made, sheltering Nick as much as he could. Nick was grateful for all the help that was offered to him. It was good to know that when he needed them his friends had stepped up to meet the challenge.
Nick had been sitting in the library, the only place he could find some peace, Sapphire beside him as she tried to distract him with small talk when David joined their table. Nick swallowed, anticipating what was to come, and he tensed.
"I heard," David said pushing his cap back from his eyes and slouching in his seat, "I'm sorry, man."
"What did you hear?" Sapphire asked defensively as Nick simply sat there staring across at David
"About your folks," David said, "And Daisy has been shooting her mouth off..."
Nick's head fell, "I knew she would." he muttered quietly.
"Look Nick," Davif said leaning on the table, "I don't care, you're sort of my friend okay? Whatever you need I'm here."
Nick nodded, "Thanks man" he swallowed, "What is she saying?" He didn't want to know the answer, but had to know what was being said.
"She was saying you were kissing some guy in the park," he stopped and looked at Nick. "She doesn't know who," he said, realizing what Nick was asking.
Sapphire nodded, "Thanks David."
He gave her a smile, "Least I could do, like I said, the dude's my reason for passing biology." Nick felt relieved.
The relief he had felt quickly turned to trepidation as he ran into Jeff on his way to his locker. Sapphire had gone to the washroom, and he had felt confident to slip downstairs alone. He hadn't expected to see Jeff sitting with his back up against Nick's locker waiting for him.
He stood for a moment and looked around, glad that they were alone for a moment; the bell rang for the next class but neither made a move to go. Once the rush had finished and they were truly alone and undisturbed Nick broke the silence.
"Hi."
Jeff looked up from his seat on the floor and stood, "I heard that Daisy's told everyone, I'm so sorry Nick."
Nick shook his head, "It's alright, no one knows it was you."
Jeff shook his head, "I couldn't care less, are you alright?" he rested his hands on Nick's shoulders and searched his eyes.
Nick's eyes flicked away, "I'll live." he replied staring at anything that wasn't Jeff.
Jeff cocked his head to look at Nick's eyes, "So what now?" he asked nervously.
Nick found the strength to look at him, for a moment he stared into those powerful eyes and could see all the way to the soul. He could see himself in them and that terrified him; he swallowed as he sought words finally daring to speak, "I have so much going on in my head right now," he shook his head, "I don't know what to do. Bury all this and hope it goes away I guess."
Jeff's head sank slightly as he swallowed, "I don't think it's that easy Nick. And, I don't th-think I can."
Nick blew out a tight breath as he straightened his back, "Are you ready to go through all, all that I am going through right now?"
"I don't know" Jeff admitted.
"Well I'm not ready for this, but I have to go through it and if you're seen with me they'll figure it out." It hurt like hell, he felt the knot in his stomach tightening, but what choice did he have? Until everything calmed down, if it ever could, he couldn't deal with Jeff's emotions as well.
"I'm sorry" Jeff said softly as his eyes searched Nick's face.
"Don't be." Nick replied, "I'll just have to live with the stares, whispers, and, the eventual bullying."
Jeff swallowed, "In case I don't get another chance to say this, I-I love you."
"No, don't." Nick replied as he pulled from Jeff's grip and blinked back tears as he opened his locker and fished out Jeff's jacket and handed it back.
Jeff held the jacket in his hands as he looked at Nick for what felt like the last time. "I don't want to do this." he said after a moment of silence.
"I don't think either of us is ready for that." Nick replied again, all too aware that he was shutting away so much emotion, "I didn't even know I was gay until yesterday Jeff. Maybe one day we could make it work, but not now."
Jeff nodded before he turned and stumbled away, fighting back tears of his own. Nick sank to the floor where Jeff had sat to wait for him. That's what happens to Nick Duval when he finally finds happiness, it get ripped away from him in the blink of an eye.
Sorry I ended it at a depressing point, and I'm going to explain why I keep using the names Andrew and Will. Basically, I like to think I can multi-task, In English I have to write a 20page creative writing essay and that's what the names of the characters are called in that story and I often type up my essay whilst writing this story (I'm sure I've probably said Nick and Jeff in my essay a few times aswell, \and no the characters in my essay aren't homosexual; not sure how well that would go down with my English teacher) so anyway, whenever I say the words Andrew or Will just tell me and I'll edit it :D
To the three people who said they'd wanted Nick and Jeff's relationship to stay a secret from the school, don't worry I won't out them anytime soon. Except Nick as you've already seen.
Next chapter: Nick's grandma rings up and an unexpected visitor turns up on his doorstep to take Nick shopping where he bumps into the one person he really didn't want to see.
