Ties of a Friendship
Chapter 21
"Trey?!" RJ called to him over the phone, it couldn't be Trey just one day left out of the blue and no one knew where he could've gone now his long lost friend calls him up it must be some kind of joke, "Trey is it really you?"
"Yeah...it's me," Trey confirms RJ's suspicions it really was him.
"Man, how's it going?"
"It's...going fine," Trey responded, he was so nervous truth be told he was hoping that RJ wouldn't pick up the phone, but he did and he wanted to hang up as fast as he called. "How...are things going with you?"
"Fine, man how are you? I haven't heard from you in years! Where did you go?" RJ asked him, he wanted to know where Trey was he just left without so much a warning or a goodbye, "You kinda just left without a warning?"
"Um...well that's the thing I moved across the country!" Trey tells him.
"You're like in California or something...?"
"Yeah...I've been here for almost five years. It's been great you know beach and sun...that kind of stuff!"
"Well, I'm glad you're okay. I tried to look for you, but you're nowhere online or anything and you ignored my calls...so I couldn't contact you, but it's good to know that you're alive!"
"Yeah..."
"Trey what happened?"
"What do you mean? All I did was just moved is all," Trey explains, he didn't want to tell RJ the reason why; he was hoping that his statement was good enough for RJ.
"That's not what I meant..." RJ stated, "What happened...? We were best friends and then you just up and stopped talking to me...and to make it worst, you just up and leave without anything, not even a goodbye! It's something I never understood and made me angry with you as well!"
"RJ...it's a little bit more complicated than that..." Now or never Trey knew this was the conversation was coming. Look at him, he was nervous nothing more than he's ever been it was just an old friend. He was RJ after all.
While Trey tries to come up with an explanation to satisfy his long forgotten friend, Connor and Adam was sitting inside of Trey's room as Adam confess to his 13-year-old son.
"You had a best friend...?" Connor was puzzled by this confession. He thought he knew his father's friends, well, at least, he thought he knew. "But I thought I knew all of your friends...? Todd. Dad, what are you trying to tell me?"
Adam rustled his hand in his hair, he was trying to find the best way to explain it after all he figured out he was repeating history with Connor, "Well like you I did have a best friend and like myself your grandfather saw it as something more..." Connor raised an eyebrow to his father. "Your grandfather thought he was a distraction someone that was holding me back and he convince me that we shouldn't be friends."
"And you brought that?" Connor asked adjusting his leg to get confirmable.
"Have you've met your grandfather?" Adam asked with a chuckle, "He's not the most likable person on the planet. He was a real hard nose...just like me."
"Well that explains a lot," Connor said huffing, "But what do Todd have to do with me and Jude?"
"Well, my father was one of those All-America guys' sports and a successful career. He had both and he made sure I had that as well. He would be hard on me, just like I am when it comes to you. Except he was harder than I am now, and with you and Jude we were just like you...well except for the liking each other, but we were close; too close for your grandfather's taste and I had to end it."
"How did you end it?"
"One of the worst ways, spreading rumors calling him names...you know childish things. Once your grandfather saw that I was focused on school, sports, bringing home ladies make sure I got in a good college had a good job and a perfect family."
"You called your friend names...were one of those names...?" Connor pondered he knows the answer, but he wanted his father to confirm what he knew.
"Yes...I called him gay and an even fag," Adam confirmed rubbing the back of his neck, "But the thing is...I'm trying here Connor. As much as I don't want it you're gay and you like Jude. I promise I will try my best! This is like my punishment trying to have a perfect life and for that Connor, I'm truly sorry."
"I'm sorry too, dad."
"How was it complicated? You left. Ignored me. Abandoned me. I don't see how complicated that is," RJ pressed for the answers for years that he deserved he should've gotten.
"RJ, everything I've done was to protect you. I wasn't good for you and I had to leave so you can have better friends. Someone better than me," Trey tells him.
"And who are you to say that?" RJ questioned. "How do you know what's best for me?"
"RJ, you have to trust me," Trey reassured him. "What I did was right. Have everything been going right for you since I left?"
RJ sighed that wasn't the point, "Of course, but that's not the point! You don't think I know Trey!"
"What do you mean?" Trey pondered.
"Let's be honest Trey, I'm not stupid. You don't think I heard the rumors about what people were saying! You don't think I didn't know who you were when we became friends! I didn't care about any of that stuff and didn't care about what people were saying! We were best friends, bros from another mother and you didn't believe that! Instead, you did what you normally do take things into your hand and not think about what anyone else had to say or felt!"
RJ was correct and Trey knew. He always took things into his hands; it was all he knew he never really depended on anyone else. He didn't confront RJ or asked him about anything instead he assumed and took matters into his owns hands. Now just maybe he was wrong...
"Your right," Trey confirmed he gave into the truth. "You're absolutely right. I took things into my own hands and I didn't tell you anything because I thought I could handle it all on my own."
Confirmed that truth to RJ made Trey realize how much he's been doing everything on his own. From when he cut ties with his friends to when he got sick and kept it to himself and even agreeing to move to get a fresh start. Everything up until now he's been doing on his own with no one by his side beside his own mother, but no else knows what he's been through and maybe he was wrong. The wrong he's done not only shutting out his friends, but he shut himself off to the world pretty much.
"Trey...just tell me why you left?" Again the question that Trey really didn't want to answer, but again he came full circle once more. "I deserve to know that much."
"I left because...I found out you guys were plotting against me," Trey answered granted it wasn't some dramatic off the wall excuse, but it was his truth. "I left because I overheard some you guys talking about not wanting to be my friend and truth be told I couldn't blame any of you. I have also been hearing the rumors. I've already been in trouble one too many times to count...so I cut my losses short and got the hell out of there." He paused thinking about what RJ could be thinking about was he upset was it really over was the friendship done after his confession? "Besides, I think you guys did pretty well without me so it really doesn't matter am I right?" He tried to make light of the situation, but he didn't think it would work not this time around.
"I'll admit we were..." RJ confessed confirming what Trey knew wasn't a lie. "But I realized that that was a mistake a pretty dumb mistake that I wish I could take back. I mean I knew who you were before we started our friendship...I could've ignored you and nothing would've happened, but I took a chance that there was more to you that meets the eye and I was right! I was just peer pressured and...in truth that's not much I can excuse to make it alright."
"See and now that I left...isn't everything better?"
"I guess so. Everyone drifted apart pretty much. I haven't seen Evelyn since a few weeks after you left. She was around, but not as much and I just dived into my sports really it was the only thing that kept me busy."
"Well that's...good to hear," Trey tells him trying to feel happy for his friends. "I mean you were a good football player so it naturally made sense. I'm glad that you're happy that's all I wanted for you."
"And I wanted a friend who didn't leave!"
"Well I'm sorry I left, but it is what it is. I called to check on you and see how life is treating you."
"It's alright no complaints really..."
"Well I gotta go I'll talk to you soon okay? Bye!" With that, he hung up just as quickly as he called. That was harder than Trey thought it would be. He wondered why did he call anyway it felt like nothing was resolved and knowing RJ he probably wouldn't be done with him. He puts his phone in his pocket and head back to his room.
Trey hung the phone up quicker than RJ could respond. But RJ had his number and he wasn't going to let Trey just call and be done with him. He was going to need some time to process everything, but he wasn't going to lose his friend all over again.
RJ was sitting down on his couch in his living room watch a football game. He tosses his phone to the side and sighs in confusion. A girl comes into the room wearing her hair in a messy ponytail style, wearing a pink shirt and faded blue apple bottom jeans sits next to him.
"Who were you on the phone with?" She asked handing him a soda.
He sets it down on the table, "Believe or not...it was Trey!"
"The famous Trey!" She sounded shocked and in a bit of disbelief. "Your best friend from way back when? At this point, I was thinking he was some kind of myth!"
RJ chuckles, "Yeah that guy, he calls me out of the blue! He called to see how I was. After all these years..."
"So what are you going to do about it?" She asked him taking a sip from her soda. RJ gives her a confusing look. "Don't give me that look! Your long lost best friend just called you out of blue, someone you missed for years. What are you going to do about it are you just going to what...? Let it go or are you gonna get to the bottom of this?"
"I don't know he's like a ghost from my past. We both failed each other, but I want to make it right. Is that wrong that I want to...even after all these years?"
"No, I don't think so...this could be the closure both you and him need."
"Did I tell you how much I love you?" RJ asked his girlfriend scooting her closer to himself.
She giggles, "No I don't think you have. But I would love to hear it again..." Wrapping her arms around his neck pulling his face close to hers.
"Well, I love you..." RJ said giving her a passionate kiss.
Before heading back to his room, Trey sees Mauricio who was making flying noses down the hallway. He calls out to the little boy whose little brown eyes light up when he sees Trey. Trey kneels down to catch the little boy who wraps his arms around Trey's neck as Trey hugs him.
"Trey!" Mauricio exclaimed. "Me missed you!"
"Hey, buddy! I missed you too! Are you doing good? Being a big boy for me, just like Superman!" Trey tells the young boy who nods with excitement. "Good, I like to hear that! You're not giving your mom a hard time are you?"
"Nope, I good like Superman!" Mauricio answered back trying to poke out his chest for Trey to show him how strong he was.
"That's good buddy! Where's your mom?"
"She's right there!" Mauricio tells Trey pointing to her she was talking to Lena about something just as Jude walks up behind the women.
"Well let's go over there and say hi to mommy and my friends! How does that sound?" Mauricio giggles and nods as they walk over to them. "Mrs. Adams-Fosters! Mauricio's mom, hi again!" He calls out to both women who turn to see the teenager walk over to them.
"Oh Trey, hello again!" Lena said with a smile.
"Hello Trey, I see Mauricio ran into you again!"
"Yes he did, he was telling me how good he was at being Superman again!" He laughs as the two women join in the laughter, "I taken you all came to see me? That's so sweet! I'm joking! Jude, you came to see Connor well he's in my room with Adam!"
"Thanks! I'll wait for you to return!" Jude thanks him before taking off to the room.
"I see you're doing better Trey. Keeping out of trouble I was taken and even got a little friend I see," Lena tells him as Mauricio cowards behind Trey's neck. "Oh, I see someone's a little shy."
"He's not usually like that," Mauricio's mom said to Lena, but she understood how it takes kids a while to warm up to new people. After all, she had preteen and teenager who was pretty much nervous when they first met Lena and Stef.
"Hey, little guy remember what I said about Superman?" Trey reminded the shy boy who nods into Trey's neck. "Okay, you're brave just like him. Mrs. Adams-Foster won't bite. She's very nice can you tell her your name?"
The little boy turns from Trey's neck and looks at his mom who gives a reassuring nod before turning his attention to Lena and slowly smiles at her, "My name is...Ma...Maur...Mauricio...it's nice to...meet you."
"Nice to meet you, Mauricio, I'm Mrs. Adams-Fosters I hope we can be good friends when you start school next year."
"Awesome bud! You're to school next to a beach!" Trey exclaims exciting the young boy, "It's going to be fun and you're going to meet new friends!"
"Ooh, a beach! Mommy that's fun!"
Jude finally arrived at Trey's room; he opens the door to see Connor and Adam talking. Both turn around to see Jude who felt awkward for walking in on the Stevens. He wanted to turn around and back out of the room, but he couldn't to him, he felt like he was in sew into place. Connor smiles reassuring Jude that it was okay.
"Oh...Jude," Adam said looking over at the nervous boy. "Well, I guess I should take off and let you two have some time alone." Adam nods over to Connor. He walks towards the door and pats Jude on his shoulder, "I'm trying...Connor." With nothing more left to say Adam leaves the two boys alone.
As Adams leaves Connor smiles holding out his hand for Jude to take, Jude places his hand into Connor's as he pulls him towards himself into a hug.
"It great to see you again," Connor tells him rubbing his back.
"It's great to see you too, but I saw you yesterday," Jude giggles wrapping his arms around Connor's neck. "And the day before and day before that before..."
Connor just laughs at Jude's joking ranting, "I know that, but it's good to see my boyfriend every day!"
"And it's good to see you too, so what's up with your dad is everything alright?" Jude asked him.
"I guess so..." Connor mumbled as Jude unhook from Connor's neck giving him a concerned look. "I mean he told me he had a best friend from a long time...which is weird."
"How so...?"
"He told me how my grandfather split him and his friend up because he believed they were too close. Much like us, my grandfather thought that my dad and his best friend were too close thinking they could be gay and he split them up. He realized how he was repeating the same thing with us...except for you know..."
"Yeah I know, but maybe he's trying..."
"I hope so...I hope your right."
Trey knocks on the door walking in, "Knock! Knock! I'm coming in! Well, I'm already here, but you know what I mean!" Both Jude and Connor just shook their heads and laugh at Trey's weirdness. "What? I'm just saying!"
"Yeah we know!" Connor tells him.
"So how did everything go with your father?" Trey asked walking over to the table where his sketchbook was at. "I mean is trying to keep you and Jude away from each other again?"
"Nope," Connor shakes his head. "He actually told me about his long lost best friend and how my grandfather was afraid that him and his best friend were too close so he forbid them from hanging out and convince him that his friend was gay."
"Well, that sucks..." Trey huffed. With few seconds of quietness, Trey remembered what he was going to do, "Oh, by the way, Jude I wanted you to see this...here!" Trey hands Jude the picture he showed Connor earlier, "I hope you like it!"
"Trey... this is amazing!"
"Great, I'm glad you like it! I will show it off for my showcase which like I told Connor I hope you will come it's after your school gets out so you know...you won't have homework to do."
"Of course I would come, Trey I wouldn't miss it for the world!" Jude tells him handing the picture back. "I can't wait to see your work on display!"
"This will be the perfect time to invite your friend RJ!" Connor tells him, but Trey's look wasn't completely sold on the idea. "Trey you owe it to yourself and him...and I'm quite sure he'll love to see your artwork!"
"Yeah I'm not so sure..."
"Hey, you can't give us advice about our friendship and not take some of your own!" Jude tells him just Connor nods in agreement. "He's your friend and he deserve to see your work and deserve to make his choice whether he wants to be your friend or not!"
"I guess your right..." Trey ponders maybe he was just being stubborn about the whole situation after all these years. Plus he is dying he did own it to himself to see if their friendship could've worked. It was set he would invite RJ to his showcase, he had nothing to lose.