Defying Gravity

"Mommy!" Riley called to the silhouetted figure entering through the front door.

"Rileybear!" His mother mocked, walking over to the couch where her son and I sat. She ruffled his hair affectionately, before noticing my presence.

"Night, sweetie, hello. I'm so glad to see you again! Are you staying the night?" She beamed, embracing me awkwardly due to the fact that I was still seated. I could feel the warmth emanating from her body, her soft hands gently rubbing circles in my lower back, and I could tell that she meant it. She really was glad to see me.

"As long as it's all right with you and Mr. Everette." I smiled up at her, butterflies erupting in my stomach as she smiled back. I loved Riley's parents. They cared.

"Oh, you know you're always welcome here."

She gave me one last smile, before disappearing in to the kitchen with the bags she'd been carrying. Most of the names were unreadable, but I managed to catch one was from Maurices.

"See, I told you she wouldn't care." A voice to my left spoke.

I turned to be met with a pair of sparkling brown eyes. I smiled at the boy, leaning in to place a small kiss on to his chapped lips. He giggled, burrowing his head in to the fabric covering my shoulder, and I simply sighed. At the moment, life was good.

* * *

That night was the best I had had in a long time. We watched movie after movie, stuffing our faces with buttery popcorn and a variety of other junk foods, but the best part was holding him.

Currently, Riley was snuggled up to my chest, small fists clenching tufts of my shirt in his heavy state of sleep. I smiled down at the boy, leaning my head against the back of the counch and closing my eyes for a second. I began to drift.

Suddenly, a noise wrenched me from my light slumber. It was the sound of keys jingling in the door.

My eyes darted to the clock on the wall flashing angry red numbers. 2:30 AM.

"Who.." I began, sitting up slowly as to not wake Riley, when the door open to reveal a dark brown haired man. I knew this was Riley's father. They had the same soft facial features, the same delicately curved nose, the same woman-like curves. Their figures were nearly identical, except for this man must have been a whole head taller than even myself.

As he came in to the light of the TV, I saw a strange shine coming from his brown locks. It was almost unnoticeable, but I saw it. Glitter? I thought he was a professor, not a drag queen.

"Uh, hello?" He questioned as he noticed my presence. Riley's father had never met me or I him. He seemed to always be at work when I was over, which was no surprise. I had never stayed past seven before.

"Hi." I answered back, watching as his familiar brown eyes cast over his son with his head burrowed deep in to my chest.

Their eyes were almost symmetrical, except I had never seen anything close to the loathe in this mans eyes crossing through Riley's innocent brown orbs.

I could already tell I wouldn't like him.

The scent coming from Riley's father smelled almost flowery.

"Who are you?" He asked in a gruff voice, reminding me so much of my own father. He was a heavy smoker and a drinker. I could tell just from his voice and the way he carried himself. It seemed almost laughable to say that this man was Riley's father. They weren't alike in anything but appearance.

"Night." I answered simply, tightening my grip around Riley as his eyes cast over him again. I could tell he didn't like the way I held his son. He was homophobic, and I knew it right from the off.

He rolled his eyes at my name, something I bet he thought was subtle, before nodding his head in my direction and walking towards the bathroom, wiping his hand on the back of his sleeve.

It wasn't long until I heard the sound of the shower running, and that was all the conformation I needed. My father used to do the same exact thing, back when he was cheating on my mother. That was a couple months before my parents divorced, and dad and I moved here.

My grip only tightened on Riley, as the thought rushed through my mind. No way in hell was I letting him go.

* * *

I awoke to find myself alone on the sofa, a blanket tucked neatly against my figure. I sat up slowly, not really remembering where I was. Looking around, it all started to come back to me. I smiled at a picture of Riley sitting on the endstand to my right, picking it up to examine the image in greater detail.

He was young, no older than seven, but my best bet would be five. In one hand, he fisted a giant swirley lollipop, and the other held the hand of a girl who looked to be in her early teens. His cheeks were tinged an assortment of colors, most likely the handywork of the lollipop he was gripping tightly. His large cocoa eyes were staring up at the girl lovingly. Who was she?

"Boo!" Shrieked a voice from behind me.

Flailing about, I whipped around, dropping the picture in the process. A loud crash was heard as I glared up at the source of my near heart attack.

"Was that really necessary?" I asked, still grumpy from just having woken up.

His bright eyes dimmed at my tone, but still he smiled as if what I said hadn't hurt him at all.

"I didn't mean to scare you like that. What were you looking at anyways?" He asked, leaning his body to the left in an attempt to see around me at the picture frame now laying broken on the floor.

"A picture of you as a kid with some chick."

His eyes grew wide as he kneeled down to pick up the picture from it's shattered frame. I watched as he traced a finger over the image of the girl.

"You broke it." He mumbled, his face set in disbelief.

"You made me." I defended, but I don't think he even heard me.

I watched as he just stared at the picture, all humor gone from his eyes.

"I can't believe.." He began, but cut himself off.

In one swift motion, he stood and started for the stairs, picture clutched tightly to his small chest. Before I knew it, he had made it to the top and was slamming his bedroom door in an angry manor so unlike himself. I was left on the sofa, wondering what the hell just happened.