Chapter 16: Cole Doesn't Live Here Anymore Part 1

Kai sighed as curled up on the couch with Cole while Nya angrily paced around in front of them. He could tell his mother was angry too, as he could hear her making dinner, almost breaking the chopping board. To help the school raise some money, Harumi had put together a school Sadie Hawkins dance for next week on the condition that they brought a date. Thankfully the dance was set for a date a few days after Kai's cast came off, meaning he and Cole could dance.

He and his boyfriend had also finally caught up with most of their school work, so Ray and Maya agreed to let them go.

They both were very excited to finally go to a school event as a couple. Unfortunately, something must have upset the lead cheerleader because as soon as she heard that Kai and Cole were attending the dance together she got them barred from the event for not keeping with the Sadie Hawkins tradition. To Kai and the others' shock, the school actually agreed to her decision. To say the pack was upset was the understatement of the millennium.

"You know what it's just not fair!" Nya screamed when they told her what had happened just as Ray came home.

"This is total bullshit!" Cole growled in agreement.

"What are you kids freaking out about?" Ray asked, frowning at Cole's choice of words.

"There's a school disco coming up to help raise money for the hockey teams' new uniforms and the school says that Cole and Kai can't go together since no girls have asked them," Maya explained as she angrily peeled some potatoes.

"Oh, there's a simple solution here." Ray shrugged. "Why don't you just ask some big girls with short haircuts from the girls' softball team who want to go?"

"We shouldn't have to fool them into letting up go!" Kai snapped.

"Yeah, besides, those girls scare me," Cole admitted and he, Kai, and Nya winced at the thought of the girls from the softball team. Most of them were nice but a few were downright horrible to other people and more than half of them looked like grown men.

"I agree, it sucks, but there's nothing we can do." Nya sighed as she slumped onto the couch next to her brother.

"Stop talking like that." Maya scolded the teens. "Back when I was a teenager if we didn't like something we fought the system."

"Let me tell you kids something if I was a gay teen and I had a boyfriend I would fight for my rights and I would win and I would be at that dance awkwardly trying to figure out who was going to lead!" Ray exclaimed, getting a confused and annoyed look from his two children and Cole.

"You know what Dad's right!" Nya cheered as she shot up from her seat. "This is an outrage and it's discrimination! We should protest the school until they either let you two go together or cancel the dance!"

"Yeah!" Kai agreed with a big grin.

"Let's go organize our protest!" Cole smirked and all three went to Nya's room to being planning...

Maya hummed a little tune to herself as she finished her grocery shopping for dinner tonight, having basically ruined any food from her anger last night. She really hoped the teens could convince the school to let Kai and Cole go to the dance. When they told her what had happened she had wanted to go to Harumi's house and teach the diva a terrifying lesson she would not soon forget. Sadly, she didn't want to spend the night in a cell, so she had to take her anger out on chopping vegetables.

She felt so bad for her son and his boyfriend.

She still was a little uncomfortable with her son's sexuality but ever since Cole had moved into their apartment, Maya had gotten the chance to get to know Cole. The raven-haired teen was a very kind, strong, and gentle boy. He loved Kai and that was all that mattered. As the female werewolf was putting her groceries in the trunk of the car, her enhanced senses suddenly caught a familiar, unwanted scent. She turned and saw a nervous Lou standing behind her.

"How is he?" He asked after a moment of silence.

"Oh, you mean Cole? Your son? The one you haven't spoken to in nearly six weeks?" She asked sarcastically as she walked right into the human's face.

"Yes him." Lou sighed, wisely keeping his eyes to the ground.

"Well if you really want to know he's still living at our apartment and I'm sure he would love to see you."

"No, I can't." He mumbled and made to leave, only for Maya to grab his arm.

"Lou, your son is hurting and he misses you!" She cried, pleading with him to listen. "He doesn't understand why you've just turned your back on him! Now get over there and go see your son!"

"...You don't understand."

"You're right, I don't." She sighed in defeat before closing the car's trunk and driving away, leaving Lou standing alone in the parking lot. Her hands tightly gripped the steering wheel in rage as she saw the veins on the back of her hands darken in anger. She wanted to shout and scream some sense into Cole's father but knew once she got started she might not be able to stop and then who knows what she would do to him. It was a miracle she didn't transform behind the wheel.

As soon as she got home she saw Ray sat in an armchair, casually reading a paper.

A quick sniff told her the kids weren't home yet. They must have still been talking to the school about letting Cole and Kai attend the dance. That was a relief because the last thing she wanted was for her children and Cole to see her anger. She quickly put the groceries away and sat down on the couch by her husband.

"I just saw Lou at the mall." She sighed. "I hate to say it but I don't think he's ever going to take Cole back."

"Well, at least he's talking to us now, it's the first time since he kicked Cole out." He replied hopefully just as Cole and Kai walked in.

"Hi, honey." Maya smiled as she hugged the two boys. "How'd it go?"

"Not good." Cole sighed. "The school's still not gonna let us go together."

"It fucking sucks." Kai spat, only to flinch away at his mother's glare at his words. The boys quickly went to their rooms and Maya let out a sad sigh before she went to make dinner, not seeing the thinking look on her husband's face...

The principal felt like slamming his head against his desk at the moment. For almost an entire hour Ray Smith had been sat in his office, lecturing him about not allowing Kai Smith and Cole Brookstone to attend the dance together. After they had told him that they had been unable to change the school's mind, Ray had been thinking about this all night.

He knew he had a big mouth and a fiery temper and he was going to use it.

He had come into the school the next morning and he refused to leave until he got his son and Cole into that dance. Unfortunately, the principal was as stubborn as an old mule.

"I'm sorry Mr. Smith, but I've made my decision." The principal said as soon as Ray was done shouting.

"You know what, you're unbelievable!" Ray roared. "Do you have any idea what kind of message you're sending out to people who aren't like you and me?!"

"Please, do not include me in your group Mr. Smith." He glared and Ray had to stop himself from punching the man right then and there. It was then that the principal realized something. "Why is it only you here?"

"Because my wife has a job, unlike your piece of arm candy." He spat venomously.

"I meant why isn't Cole's father here as well?"

"Oh, well, his father kicked him out when he came out and we took him in."

"Is the state aware of this?"

"No, but why don't have to bother them with all that."

"I'm afraid we do." The principal smirked and Ray paled...

Maya sighed in relief as she relaxed on the couch with a freshly poured glass of red wine in her hand. She had managed to finish work early and arrived home to an empty apartment so she took the opportunity to try and relax a little. She was about to take a sip of wine when all of sudden the front door burst open and a panicked Ray came running in, startling his wife.

As soon as he saw her, Ray took a deep breath to compose himself and straightened himself up.

"Remember when we thought me sticking up for Kai and Cole was a good idea?" He asked nervously.

"Yeah?"

"Well, Social Services are on their way over to take Cole away."...