My footsteps dragged my frozen form through the village and I had somehow arrived at the doorway to John Paul's house. I didn't even have to knock as the door swung open on its hinges.
My body crushed to his chest and the river of tears spilled forth once more as I wrapped my arms around his strong frame, enjoying the security his hug brought me.
He guided me through the homestead, to his room. Gently lowering me to his bed, he wrapped me in his arms as I cried myself to sleep.
When I awoke, it was to find myself alone, the curtains drawn and my shoes placed by the bed. I sat up, rubbed at face and stretched my tired limbs. Then, climbing of the bed, I headed towards the bathroom and did the necessary requirement, washed my hands and my face and made the call to venture down to the living room.
The TV was on, the Loose Ladies making snide comments about some WAG who, when pissed, fell out of a taxi when she was heading to a major fashion gala. I tempted the fates and quietly made my way towards the kitchen in the search of a drink.
At the sink, I grabbed a glass from the drying section and filled it with cold water. It was only as I started to drink it did I realise that there was people outside, arguing.
I opened the patio doors to find John Paul and his mum shouting as they pegged the freshly washed clothing to the line.
"Son, I know you feel guilty, but it's not your fault – Spike was the one to open his big mouth and spill all to Frankie, not you. I know that your Craig is trying his hardest, but it was for the best that he didn't have to tell his family," Myra tries to explain. I scoff at this and storm out to show them I was listening.
"Do you really think it was best for Spike, the bloke that was dumped by his boyfriend for the straight boy, to tell my family, my mum that I'm with John Paul now, eh? Do you really think that Spike would tell them the truth, that he really understands what there is between me and your son? And, just to let you know, I was going to tell them everything this afternoon." I ranted, sloshing water all down my front as I emphasised my speech with gestures.
John Paul moved to me, the washing he was carrying dropped into the container at his feet. "I didn't know..." He mumbled, taking the glass onto the windowsill beside us.
"I didn't want to tell you 'cause I know you'd want to be there. But, if you were there, I know that Jake or my mum would focus on you, blame you for turning me, twisting my thoughts and I didn't want that. You've protected me so much throughout the short time we've known each other that I wanted to return the favour, even if you didn't know I was doing it. I was going to tell them, even roped Darren into helping me keep the peace. And this happens."
I took a deep breath, collected myself. "I'm sorry for snapping, Mrs. McQ- Myra, but I was just wanted to clear the air – it's not right that you lot know everything whilst my family is in the dark… I can't keep this hidden, even if Spike told them a warped case of events, but I'm going to let the fog clear before I try to make my case, alright?"
"Sure, son. Sorry 'bout what I was saying, but I was just givin' my opinion. So, you'll be staying for dinner then?" Myra asked, smiling at us as she finished her chore.
John Paul and I returned to the safety of his room. He sat himself on his bed, back against the wall as he watched me change my soaked top for one of his t-shirts.
"I still can't believe how you've been through this whole thing. I mean, when I first told you I loved you, I never expected us to be together five months later, or that our families would know about us. I'm so proud of you, you know that right? And, if your family doesn't accept us, I'll still be here to protect you. Alright?" he said, sitting on the edge of his bed and pulling me towards him by grabbing the loops on my jeans.
"I love you," I whispered, bending down to kiss him His arms wrapped around my waist as my arms fell around his neck. My fingers entwined in the soft locks at the top of his spine as my tongue sought access to the heat of his mouth.
We stood there, enveloped in our embrace for some time. At one point, he pulled me down onto his lap, my legs wrapped around his waist as he fell backwards; me forwards onto the bed. Attached at the crotch, I felt my hardness rub against his and groaned into his mouth at the sensation.
We separated suddenly as he tossed me onto my back on the bed and rushed to the door to lock it before returning to stand before me. He tore his top off, then my own, before he slid his sweats to the floor as I made light work of my belt and jeans.
We kissed once more, all teeth and tongues and biting as our passion grew and grew. I pushed his mouth from mine as I attacked his neck, biting and kissing at the skin, knowing full well that it'd create love bites come tomorrow. As he turned his neck to the side to give me better access and groaned at the feeling, I reached to his bedside table and opened the drawer and grab the necessities for what I hoped would occur.
I handed him the lube and the condom and blush as I pulled away from his neck. He stared down at me, smiling at me shyly before placing the items beside us on the bed and returning the kiss as he removed my underwear, followed by his own.
He sat up on his haunches as I lifted myself up on my elbows. Making light work of preparing me for our upcoming copulation, he dressed himself in the condom and applied the viscous liquid to his hardness.
He once more returned his fingers to my entrance and I sighed at feeling of being full and I cried out in excitement.
His extremities were quickly replaced by his dick and I relished in the feeling. My legs moved of their own accord, securing his body to my own as he began to move back and forth, lighting both of us in a fire of desire as I drew his head back to mine and kissed him with all the love and passion I carried for him.
We soon got into a rhythm; the only sounds that could be heard were the meeting of flesh on flesh and our contented sighs. And then we reached the breaking point, and we soon arrived, one after the other, screaming in our enjoyment of our joining.
As we rested, he rested his forehead against mine and my eyes bore into his at the realisation of how much I loved him exploded in my heart.
"I love you, I love you so much," I repeated over and over again as I kissed his cheek, his nose and his lips.
Time passed, our contentment dwindled and we parted ways. He grabbed a towel and his shower stuff and offered his hand to me, his head tilted in a way that made me blush an almost beetroot red, which is why I took his hand and allowed him to drag me off to the shower to freshen up.
--
Cleaned, dried and dressed, we returned to the kitchen for a brew and a sandwich before I made the call to return home.
"Are you sure, lad? Maybe you should spend the night here, let them all cool down some more before you face them," Myra said, giving me a careful smile to show me that she cared.
"Nah, it's best that I leave now. If I don't go home now, I never will. And they will just assume that I'm ashamed or something," I got to my feet and made a movement to head for the door.
"You want me to come with?" John Paul asked, following after me to the door. He caught me up before reached the stairs and soon laced our fingers together, my right hand in his left.
I smiled at him graciously and kissed his cheek before declining his offer. He opened the door for me, kissed me good luck and wished me good night.
I slouched home, dreading the reception I'd get upon arrival, a number of scenarios racing through my brain and I laughed at the decreasing rate of compassion that was shown to me by my family.
I couldn't believe that my mum, or Jack, would just leave me to wander the streets, I just couldn't believe that.
When I entered the bar, the night shift was already at work, dealing with customers, collecting glasses and pulling pints. I nodded an hello at Kris, who smirked at me – guess the village knows all about me and JP now – as I passed him and I made my way to the flat above.
The tension could be cut with a knife as I entered the flat proper. I took it, step by step, into our home to find my mother and my step-father sat around the dining table, a tumbler of whiskey before them both, Jack's half drunk, my mum's untouched.
"I don't know what Spike said," I started, taking a leap of faith and joining them at the table, "but whatever he said, it's not true."
"Oh? Really? So you're not sleeping with that lad? You didn't dump Sarah, that beautiful girl, for the McQueen boy? That's all lies, is it? That you were sleeping with John Paul, carrying it on behind Sarah's back? Not the truth, is it?" My mother hissed, her eyes burning a hole in the table top.
"I did end things with Sarah, but I was never cheating on her with John Paul. Once I realised my feelings for him, I had to deal with my feelings for the both of them, had to way up which one I loved more and came to conclusion that my love belonged to John Paul, that I loved him more. And when we broke up with both of 'em, Spike and Sarah, we didn't tell anyone cause if we did it would look like we were cheating on them all along. So we waited. And I was aiming to tell you all that I was with John Paul, that we're in love and together now. Both Spike, that spiteful bastard, had to take the glory, twist things, and I never got the chance to… I never got the chance…" I stalled, words failing me. The door opened and the sounds of the squabbling between my sister and step-brother was soon reverberating around the room.
"He's not gay, Steph, he's bi! Remember that girl he was with, Sarah? Or Darlene? Or the other one? He's definitely bi and there's no denying it," Darren defended, rolling his eyes at Craig before coming to an abrupt halt before her.
"Aw, but I'd love to have a gay brother to take shopping with, he'd have such good taste in clothes!" She exclaimed, practically jumping five feet in the air with excitement.
"Eh, I think we should go back downstairs, leave you guys to it," Darren said, smiling at me with more care than I've ever seen before. I nodded my thanks before staring at fingers, spread out as wide as they could be on the table top.
"What? Why?" Steph asked, not noticing that we were sitting before her, all set in our serious modes. She still didn't realise it as Darren turned her around and led her from the room.
The closed soundly behind them and we were left in our uncomfortable companionship once more.
After another 10 minutes of my mum seething, Jack decided enough was enough and suggested that we leave it be for the night. I agreed and, before heading off to bed, grabbed a packet of crisps and a can of cola.
I closed the door behind myself and dropped onto my desk chair. I popped the can open, sipped three times and ripped open the crisp packet. Delving into it, I savoured the taste of the salt and vinegar on my taste buds, a nice distraction from the stress of the evening.
I'd gone online to check out some music videos on the Tube and found some song of the moment that was, apparently, popular in the clubs of Ibiza.
At the thought of DJ's in Ibiza, my mind raced to my boyfriend. It had to be more than coincidence that at that moment, my phone rang. Smiling at the caller, I answered the call instantly.
"How'd it go?" He asked, right off the bat.
"Wow, make me head spin why don't ya?" I laughed, reclining in my seat.
"Sorry… Hi, how are you?" He giggled down the line and my smile widened in quick succession.
And so I regaled him of the events of the evening, of Mum's denial and Jack's level head, of Steph's joy and Darren's unusual act of kindness.
He soon noticed my incessant yawning and bade me good night before ending the call. I finished my can, discarded the uneaten crisps and got ready for bed, going through the ritual – toilet, teeth, face – before crawling under the covers. It took some time for Morpheus to come, my mind racing with thoughts of mum's denial. But the though that over rode it all was the fact that I had John Paul, that nothing was going to stop us being together, no matter what my mother assumed.