These Days

Chapter 8- Fate Comes to Haunt

JJ found himself curled up in a blanket on the living room couch in front of the dimming fire. He shuddered from the chilly night air seeping its way under the back door. He was ashamed of himself. Drake had seen him at such a weak place. He knew Drake had good intentions and wanted to help, but he couldn't change things.

JJ rubbed his eyes. He was tired, but didn't want to fall asleep just yet. He needed some time alone to think, even if it meant starving himself of badly needed rest. He heard a creak and hoped it was just the wind. But no luck. It sounded like someone was approaching. He turned around slowly. He wasn't expecting the 18-year-old boy, Isaac.

"Uh, hey," JJ mumbled to his intruder. He hoped he would just go and get a drink of water or something and leave.

"Sorry. Am I disturbing you?"

"No."

"Oh. Okay. Good."

"What are you doing here?" JJ asked. "Don't you live with your parents?"

Isaac smiled. "Yeah, but I wanted to stay here for the night. Hopefully, I could talk to you alone."

JJ narrowed his eyes. "…why? Am I going to be bombarded with more questions?"

Isaac sat down on the couch next to the older man. "I need help."

JJ looked at the boy oddly. "Don't even tell me you're gay."

Isaac's face fell and eyes went wide. "How'd--"

"Please, spare me," JJ mumbled. "I'm gay, your uncle is gay, and your gay. What a gay old time."

"But--"

"You want to know how to come out?" JJ finished.

"Yeah."

"I'm not the one to ask. But I'd advise you not to do it like I did or how your uncle did."

"What did you do?"

"I was caught screwing my boyfriend."

"Oh…" Isaac was quiet for a while. "I like someone," he announced.

JJ was uninterested. "Everyone at your age does."

"But he's older."

"Unless he's fifty years older, then I don't care."

"…It's you."

JJ burst out laughing. "Oh that's rich."

"I do." He scooted closer to the man.

"Find someone else." JJ moved away.

"But I love you."

"You don't even know what love is."

"Yes I do. Your heart beats hard in your chest, you become tongue-tied, and you can't stop thinking of that person."

"That's a crush," JJ defined. "Find another guy, more around your age."

"I can't."

"You've only known me for less than ten hours."

"I saw you at the wedding."

"You never talked to me."

"It was love at first sight."

JJ groaned. He couldn't believe this kid. "Find someone else," he repeated.

"But I like you."

"Get over it."

"I can't."

"You will."

"No--"

"Shut the hell up!" JJ shrieked. "I can't help you. You're father is the devil and good luck coming out!" He turned away, hoping the kid would take a hint and go away. The teen actually scooted closer.

"Can you at least--"

"Don't you dare ask me for anything!" JJ warned.

"But--"

"No."

"Please just--"

"N.O. No!" JJ stood up, figuring he could think in bed, even with Drake snoring loudly. The kid began following him. Without stopping or turning around, JJ threatened, "If you dare follow me one more step, I will clobber you." The boy wasn't fazed. JJ twisted around, wanting to look intimidating, but tripped over his blanket and fell into the teen. With complete surprise and shock, the boy actually had the nerve to kiss him.

Furious, JJ ran off and slid into bed, cursing the boy to hell. JJ bounced on the bed quite agitated, causing his lover to mumble, "Where the hell have you been?"

"Thinking."

Drake didn't respond. JJ hoped he fell back asleep. He didn't want to explain his night.

When JJ awoke, it was against his will. Drake had decided to sit right on him and wiggle around. "Go away…" Drake poked him. "Away…" He poked him again. JJ opened his eyes slowly. Drake, for some reason, looked very upset. "What?"

Drake frowned. "What did you do last night?" JJ put the pillow over his head, not wanting to discuss it. "JJ." His voice was threatening. The pillow was pulled away.

JJ sighed. "I went downstairs to think."

"Alone?"

"Yeah."

"And you never came across anyone?"

"…"

"Isaac, maybe?"

JJ groaned. "The little punk ass tried to push his problems onto me."

"Are you sure it wasn't the other way around?"

JJ looked at his lover, completely shocked. "What do you mean?"

"Isaac ran home and told his parents you forced yourself on him."

JJ shot up in bed, throwing Drake off of him. "Fuck! Why in the hell--?" JJ felt like he could shoot someone, particularly the little horny rat. How dare he make up such lies.

"Is it true?" Drake asked without eye contact.

JJ became furious. "You don't trust me! Why would I do such a thing!"

Drake still didn't look at the other man. "Then what happened?"

"He came onto me!"

Drake seemed skeptical. "Why?"

"I don't know why! He just did."

"It's something horrible to make up." Drake didn't believe him.

"Yes it is."

There was an abrupt door slam and yelling coming from downstairs. Drake exited the room without a word. JJ stood still, not believing what was happening. Why would the kid lie like that? Was he that angry that JJ didn't do something with him?

Stomps were coming up the stairs and down the hallway quickly. The door burst open and Aaron stood there fuming. "You cunty little bastard!" He shrieked. He flung himself at JJ and swung with all his might. Too quick, JJ was smacked hard in the face and fell to the floor. Aaron was screaming and beating him, creating a crowd in the room. JJ's vision started to go blurry. 'My fate comes to haunt me once again.' He blacked out.

JJ woke up with a bright light streaming in through the window. The room was too white; the walls, the sheets… His head ached, his body felt stretched out. He wanted nothing more than to fall back asleep and forget where he was. He loathed hospitals. He forced himself to open his eyes all the way. The room was empty. Everyone seemed to have turned on him. He felt betrayed and angered. To accuse someone of rape was one thing, to lie about is another.

There was a quiet squeak from a door opening and soft steps followed. Drake appeared from around the corner sporting a shiner. He looked very apologetic. When he spotted his lover awake, he smiled gently. "I'm sorry," he said. JJ didn't respond. He was still furious with Drake for believing the absurd story. If he only knew…

Drake sat next to JJ on the bed and began to stroke the blond hair. JJ's anger started to melt away. "Do they still think I did something?"

Drake pointed at his black eye. "Most do. But my mother doesn't believe him because she knows Isaac is a habitual liar and she said that she thought you were too kind-hearted and sweet to do something like that."

"I like your mother." JJ rubbed under his lover's eye gently. Drake cringed when the pressure was too much on his bruise.

"Glad you do." Drake examined his lover closely. "He got you pretty bad."

"It felt like it." JJ raised his own hand and touched his face softly. He winced. "Ow."

Drake kissed his cheek tenderly. "I'm so sorry for even thinking--"

"It's okay." He sighed heavily. "But you should know that I would never do such a thing, especially since…" he trailed off, deciding whether or not he should continue. Drake seemed interested.

"Since what?" Drake pushed.

"Since…it happened to me."

The brief silence was deafening.

"What?"

JJ closed his eyes, figuring he trapped himself in a hole. He retold the story to the best of his ability.

"Fly away! Zoom!" A sixteen-year-old boy jumped from desk to desk, barely being able to touch the ceiling on his tiptoes. His fellow classmates laughed as their peer danced atop the desks and sang a made-up song about their teacher, who was currently absent. He pulled up his friend, Fiona. The two of them tried to tango, but ended up tumbling onto the floor. Jeremy sprung back up and spun around in circles. He then took a running jump and landed on the teacher's desk, spilling the papers over.

"Is he high?" One student asked to his friends. Some shrugged. Everyone's laughs began to die as each realized that their teacher had just entered.

Jeremy was spinning around in the teacher's chair. The teacher grabbed the back of the chair and stopped it. Jeremy was then face to face with his teacher. "Hello, Mr. Cunningham," Jeremy chirped.

"Adams." He pulled his student up. "See me after class." Jeremy went to his seat and spent the rest of class making rude hand gestures and faces at his teacher.

He tried to shimmy away when the bell rang to end the period and the day, but Cunningham caught him. Jeremy was forced into a chair with his teacher breathing down him.

"You think you're funny?" He chided. "You've got some bad habits, Adams."

"Yeah, well, what'd ya gonna do?"

"Don't be a smartass with me. You need to be taught a lesson. Your behavior is horrid."

"I'm ADHD."

"I wouldn't doubt that." Cunningham moved closer.

Jeremy backed away. "Do I have a detention then?"

Cunningham laughed. "That won't stop you."

"No. It wouldn't." Jeremy didn't know what his teacher had in mind, but he knew he wouldn't like it.

"Get up," Cunningham ordered. Jeremy did so. The teacher tugged at his student's collar. "You do everything I tell you."

Jeremy eyed the door, knowing this wasn't a good situation to be in. He tried to make a run for it, but Cunningham caught him by his shirt. He spun the teen around and held his arms down. Jeremy attempted to squirm from the harsh grip, but it was futile. His teacher threw him against a desk and proceed to undo the buttons on his shirt. Jeremy was in an awkward stance and couldn't defend himself. His shirt was discarded quickly, followed by his pants.

Jeremy shivered, not from cold but from fear. He closed his eyes tightly. He couldn't escape…

"He raped you?" Drake exclaimed in shock. JJ nodded. "Bastard."

"I know what it is really like, and it's people like Isaac that make it up and no one trusts the people telling the truth."

Drake kissed his lover. "Why haven't you ever told me?"

JJ leaned against the other man. "I've never told anyone."

Tears began to swell in Drake's eyes. "I'm so sorry…"