Small, warm fingers pressed themselves gently into Troy's back. "You did it." Ryan said softly, leading Troy off the stage. "You really did it!"
"I did, didn't I?" Troy said, sounding, even to himself, strange and lost. "I can't believe it was so well-received."
"Well, you know, the only parents that come are those of the kids in the play, and the rest of the people are drama-fanatics that don't care anyways." Ryan beamed, cheeks flushed. "And anyways, if anyone gave us trouble we'd ask how come we could read the play, but not do it?"
Troy nodded, not really listening, chewing on his lip.
"Hey, go to him." Ryan said, not bothering to even say what he was talking about. "You know you want to. You know you miss him. And he came here to see you Troy. I bet he's real sorry."
"I don't want to go to him." Troy said sulkily, crossing his arms. "He...I just don't want to."
"Well, you're not staying at my house anymore. Parents coming back tommorow, and trust me, you really don't want to be there when they are." Ryan rested his hand on Troy's shoulder. "Don't stay angry. It'll just make everything worse."
"Like I have a choice after looking into your eyes." Troy grinned, though he felt his stomach churning inside. He felt more woozy than when he'd had to go on stage. It was bad. Still, he turned towards the stage exit to where everyone was slowing shuttling out, and started walking. He didn't have to go very far. As Ryan had predicted, his dad was right there by the door, waiting for him.
for a while it was silent, both of them standing there ridgedly, arms crossed.
Then, "Troy, you know I'm sorry."
"I don't know anything anymore." Troy said cooly. He'd been going to basketball practice just to prove that being with Ryan hadn't changed him, but he still hadn't said a word to his dad. "I don't even know if you love me anymore ."
"Of course I do Troy!" Jack Bolton sounded truly taken aback. "But, I was just raised differently than you. I was raised to think all this was wrong."
Troy bounced from one sole to the next. "Its not like I had a choice." He said. "I didn't get to take a pick, or else I would've choosen the easier was. The way that you could accept me through. But I'm like this, and you always tell me to be myself. This is me." Defensivly he jabbed a finger at himself, knowing it was childish, but doing it anyways. He felt childish, he felt like he wanted his dad to pick him up and swing him round again, and kiss the top of this head and tell him that he loved him and treat him like he did before any of this happened.
He wanted to cry, but he didn't dare.
"I know, and I'm sorry that I was so close-minded. I love you Troy, and you should know I always will."
Troy bit his lip. He'd been crying way too much recently, and he wasn't going to start up again. "I love you too dad." He said.
"So, you'll come back home?"
Troy smiled a little. "Yeah." He said. He wanted his hug, but he sure as hell wasn't going to ask for it.
Luckily, he got one, a warm one like when he was still a little kid, anyways.