Chapter… 5 already:D I hope everyone's enjoying my long chapters. And… Here it is- the amazing fifth chapter! Teehee Collins is quite the potty-mouth.
Disclaimer: Same as always, I don't own the characters of RENT.
--Therapy and Cutting Class--
-Collins' POV-
NO! This is the most unfair thing they have ever done to me! Just because last night I told them I'm gay, they're making me miss the first half of school to go to- you guessed it- a therapist. Lovely. I'm a broken, imperfect person to them, who needs to be fixed by some guy with a degree in brainwashing. Argh! I will NOT stand for this! This is cruel, inhuman, it's… tyranny! Let me go to school and see my darling Angel!
We drive along in the SUV which I told them not to buy because it's terrible for the environment, and I count the number of people walking along the streets. It seems to take forever to finally get to the small office complex. I'm dropped off and as they leave I scowl resentfully at them. I hope they fucking die. Well… not really.
I trudge into the building and look around for some direction. There's a secretary behind the desk. I might as well ask her.
"Hey, name's Collins and apparently I have an appointment. No I don't know who it's with." I say this all rather quickly, and she gives me an odd look.
"Um… it says in the book you're with Dr. Kendall. He's down the hall, second door on the left." I thank her and head off down the hall. It's blandly decorated, with off-white walls and sandy carpet. Second door on the left- Oh, daring- there's a poster on it. Deviating from the off-white color scheme. It's for some Broadway musical or something. I open the door, doubtfully, and walk inside.
"Hello?" I ask. I don't state it, I ask. "Um… I'm Tom Collins." I say to the bespectacled man sitting behind the desk. He's pretty young for a therapist. Ha.
"Oh yes. Your parents called yesterday to make this appointment. They want to keep having sessions, once a week. Hopefully not at the same time- you're missing school!" He laughs, and I smile bitterly. That's not all I'm missing.
"Yeah. So did they tell you why it is they wanted me here?" He shook his head. "Good, they didn't tell me either. I suppose it might have something to do with the fact that I told them last night that I'm gay."
Surprisingly I get no response from the guy, not a laugh or a smile or anything. He just writes something down on his stupid clipboard and sets it back down on the desk. Well fuck him, and his stupid clipboard.
"Well, that might be the reason they sent you here. Or it might not be. First, let's talk about you." I shake my head. No way do I want to tell this guy my life story. He finally cracks a smile and laughs. "Okay, then we'll talk about something else. Do you want to hear about me?" I nod slightly. "Well, I was adopted as an infant, and raised by a lovely woman whose husband left her about a year after I joined the family. I had a happy childhood, but when I got to high school my mom started to worry about me. I was doing some stupid stuff, acting out in school, drugs, that sort of stuff. She sent me to a therapist too. So I went, and it changed my point of view on a lot of things. I decided that I wanted to go to college so I could help people too. And that's how I got to where I am today." I nearly laugh at his story. So stereotypical.
"Well, I had an okay childhood too. I may act out in school, but not in the dumb class-clown ways. Just last year I hacked into the school clock. It's controlled by a simple computer program, so I just changed it slightly to read half an hour earlier than it really was. So I freed the whole school for an extra half-hour of time to waste. Then there was this other time when I hacked the phone system…" He laughs.
"Well, that certainly is a relief. I was more of a spray-paint graffiti man, myself."
"Yeah. As for drugs, no way. Not yet at least." I do my best evil laugh and lean back in the chair. "So, do you think my parents are worried about my outstanding ability to cause intelligent trouble, or the fact that I like boys?" Sarcasm intended, but it never reaches its target.
"Well it sounds to me like the latter may have been what made them consider therapy, although they may have been worried before then, certainly. How is your relationship with your parents?"
"Good." I shrug. "I mean, I do what I'm told when they're around, I don't disrespect them… except last night, of course. My dad was yelling at me, so I yelled back. We've always been a happy, wonderful, American-as-apple-pie family." I try not to sound resentful, unsuccessfully.
"Why are you so unhappy about that?" he asks. "It sounds like you've got a pretty good thing going."
"They stifle my creativity. They don't accept me. I want to discuss philosophy, they want to discuss movies I've seen. I tell them about my boyfriend, Angel, and my mom gives me the silent treatment and my dad blows up over it. Sometimes I just can't stand them."
We continue talking about my "family life" for a while, and I'm actually surprised that I'm telling him all this. I guess the faster I 'resolve my issues,' the faster I can get out of this office. He glances down at his watch.
"Well, Tom, it looks like our time is up. I'll call your parents to see when they would like to schedule your next session."
"Hey, don't call me Tom. Only boring people call me that. My friends call me Collins."
We shake hands and I walk out feeling a little better. At least it wasn't a complete waste of time. I won't be telling my parents that, though.
-Angel's POV-
Where is Collins? He hasn't gotten here yet, and it's already time for Art! His parents must have taken him away, probably forever. He'll never come back and I'll lose my one true love! I can't let that happen! Ah, now I'm starting to cry. Art class just isn't the same without him. I've transferred my sketch to a canvas, but it just isn't working trying to start painting it. I need him here to model for me, so I can get every last detail right.
Two completely unproductive hours later I go to lunch. I scan the room automatically for the face I love so much. Oh, he's back! I run over to where he's standing. I don't care who sees us, I hug him tightly.
"Collins! I was worried when you didn't show up this morning!" He pushes me away, just enough so that we can look 'normal.'
"Ang, babe, I was forced to go… to a therapist." I gasp. "Yeah. The worst part was, he was nice. And I totally spilled about almost everything. We didn't talk about you, don't worry." So that's where he was. I grab his arm and drag him out of the cafeteria. Technically we aren't supposed to go anywhere outside except the basketball court and the courtyard area just outside the cafeteria building during lunch. But I have some other plans. I hold onto his hand and lead him to the baseball field at the back of the school. There are some bleachers there that are up against the wall, providing a comfortable shady spot.
"Come on, under here." We sit down under the bleachers, and I start giggling. "I feel like a naughty kid, sneaking out here. Don't you agree, it's much more peaceful?" He nods, leaning against me. "I missed you." I say before pressing my lips to his.
I can safely promise myself that I'll remember this moment and these kisses forever. It's the first time our kisses have been so passionate. I move my hands to the back of his head and his shoulder, while his remain on my arms, holding onto me like I might disappear if he lets go. I pull away from him, shaking a little. He smiles at me and pulls me onto his lap. I give him a hug, and start laughing again.
"I'm sorry. This is just… it's the happiest I've been in a really long time." We stay under our shelter for a while longer, kissing and enjoying each other's company. I hear the bell ring, signaling the end of lunch.
"Ang, do you want to go to class?"
"Not really. Think we can get away with skipping Chemistry and Study Hall?"
"Probably not, but I'm sure we can try."
-Collins' POV-
We remain together in our secret spot, keeping quiet when the PE class is on the seats just above our heads and trying to stay out of sight when a teacher walks by. I have to agree, it's the happiest I've been in a long time.
We leave our hiding place when the final bell rings and people start to leave the school. We see Roger and April walking along the empty hallway and we call out to them.
"Where did you guys go?" Roger asks. "You left during lunch, and no one saw you go to your last classes."
"Roger must be rubbing off on you guys. Skipping class to make out? I thought so." April grins at us. "Were you under the bleachers over by the baseball field? That's one of my favorite places."
"Yeah, and it was fun. I'd do it again sometime." Angel answers, grabbing my hand in his.
"Ang, you want me to walk you home?" I ask.
"Of course."
We get to his house and I swear he looks so happy, I would do anything to see him that happy all the time. He kisses me again, and walks to the door. He turns and winks at me, going inside. I still feel that familiar fuzzy feeling when he smiles at me.
I walk back to my house, feeling completely happy. Well, I'm happy until I get inside. My parents are here. They didn't have time to talk to me after my therapy session, so obviously they're going to ask me about it now.
"Welcome home, Tom. How was your day?"
"If you mean, how was my hour and a half with that weirdo you call a therapist- then it was almost as good as being forced to do tedious schoolwork all day. And the rest of my day was spectacular, because I got to spend it with Angel." Oh how I love rubbing that in their faces. They deserve it, though. Plus, I can't help it if I'm a little bitter.
"Don't you talk to us that way, Thomas. Go upstairs and do your homework." I smirk and take my backpack upstairs. Hello, therapy session, here I come.
I go downstairs only for dinner, which is more tense and stressful than it has ever been. After that I stay in my room, writing. I don't care that I haven't finished my homework. I'll just do it in the morning. Instead I'm writing a poem for Angel. I'm going to have Roger help me with it- he's poetic, I guess.
-Angel's POV-
I skip into the house, dropping my backpack on the couch. I feel so happy right now, not even my father could ruin it. I dance and sing all afternoon, hopping up the stairs to my room, and hopping back down the stairs when I realize I need my backpack. I finish my homework in record time, and have a ton of free time before I have to go to bed. There's suddenly a knock on my door.
"Angelo?" It's my little brother. "Are you in here?"
"Yes. I'm in here. What do you want?"
"I wanted to talk to you, big brother." He opens the door. "Why is dad so mad at you?" I groan. How does one explain this sort of thing to a ten-year-old?
"It's… because I did something he didn't want me to do. I wanted to do it, but he was against the whole thing." That's about as simple as I can make it.
"You mean your date with that guy from school? I think that's cool of you, to stand up for yourself for once."
"Yeah." I blush, and get a textbook out of my bag again. "Go downstairs or something. I have to finish my schoolwork."
He leaves, and I realize there's another disaster I have somehow managed to avoid. If my brother is on my side instead of my dad's, then the majority of the house is in my favor. Maybe then my life will be better at home. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens.
Whee another chapter down, and as many more to go as I feel like writing! How would everyone feel about a sequel to this, like when they go to college :P After all, they are seniors this year. I know, I'm getting WAY ahead of myself, considering I'm not even close to done with this story. Oh, and I need suggestions for Angel's little brother's name because I couldn't think of anything. :D PLEASE REVIEW. Your reviews make me happy as a clam, if clams are happy…