Such a Lovely Boy

“I’m so, so sorry, Frankie” Pete sobbed, tears staining his blood covered cheeks.

“You’re sorry! What the hell do you have to be sorry for! I got you kicked out of your house” I felt guilty, if I hadn’t been there, if I hadn’t fallen asleep...

“And I couldn’t be more thankful” he smiled weakly.

“Do you wanna go back to my place?” I asked, wiping some blood from his mouth.

“I’m sure your mom would love it, nah it’s fine” he cringed as my hoodie rubbed slightly on his face.

“She won’t mind, really. She’ll probably force feed you though” I smiled, helping him to his feet. He stumbled unsteadily and nearly collapsed in my arms. I fumbled in my pocket for my cell and set Pete back down on the cracked pavement.

“Hey mom” I sniffled, my hand shaking as I held the phone to my ear.

“Honey…What’s wrong? Did you sneak out again? Are you ok? Who’s with you? Where are you?” she wailed, sounding like I’d just told her I was dead or something.

“Ma, I’m fine...but Pete’s not, could you come pick us up...please” I asked, feeling bad for sneaking out then making her come pick us up.

“Sure Frank, where are you?” she asked, calmly.
I told her the address.
“Oh, and mom,” I paused, “I love you”
“Love you too honey, be there in five, ok”
“Ok, bye”

*

“Oh my gosh, are you alright? What happened?” my mom hovered over Pete like he was a five year old.

“Mom, leave him” I whined, embarrassed.

“How did this happen?” she pushed back his long fringe.
I watched Pete’s face, waiting for a response. He bit his lip and looked at me, sorrowfully.

“Uh, mom Pete’s fine...just um, he doesn’t wanna talk about it” I filled quickly.

“Ok, if you say so. You kids go up to bed now, ok. It’s late” she smiled at us. If only she knew.

*

“Your mom’s really nice”

“Yeah, sometimes she’s a bit over the top, but she does mean well”

It had been three hours since mom had ‘sent us to bed’ and we had been talking about pointless things the whole time. Every time something concerning Pete himself would come up he’d change the topic.

“Does your mom know?”

“Know what?”

“You know”

“No, I don’t”

“That you’re...” Pete trailed off til his words faded to nothing.

“Oh...that...” I swallowed my spit, I couldn’t tell her. I couldn’t break her heart like that, besides what would I say, ‘hi mom, I’m gay’ she wouldn’t be able to take that, she’s catholic...they have issues with that kind of thing.

“I’m guessing not” Pete replied after a long silence.

“I couldn’t tell her, she’d think she was a failure as a mother and a Christian or something” I sighed, turning away from him.

“She wouldn’t care, she’d love you anyway. I’m not saying you should tell her right now or anything but eventually you’ll have to”

“I guess...”

“Well, I’m tired as hell, night Frankie” Pete yawned, shuffling closer to me.

“...Night” I whispered, I think he was asleep already though.

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Title from Fall Out Boy's
"Chicago is so two years ago"