What Are You Waiting For?

[Summer]

Riley was laying on his floor while Ian and I took over his bed. I caught him glaring at us every once in a while, but we just smiled at him and paid no mind.

It was just one of those lazy summer days where we had no plans and it felt nice just to lay around with your best friend and boyfriend.

I heard a small knock on the door. “Nick? You have a telephone call.”

I looked up at the closed door, confused. “Oh…kay…” I said slowly, getting off the bed, putting a shirt on.

“Aww, baby.” Ian called out from the bed, disappointed.

I just flashed him a mischievous smile, opening up the door to Riley’s mom.

“Here you go, honey.” She handed me the landline.

“Who is it?” I whispered. Whoever wanted to call me could’ve just called my cell.

She shrugged, smiling at me, and walking away.

I put the phone up to my ear. “Hello?” I asked politely.

“Nick? Nick, it’s your mother.” The all-too-familiar voice spoke into my ear.

My expression went stone cold. “What do you want?”

“I just wanted to see how things were going.” She said on the other line, slight displeasure in her tone. Good. I wasn’t pleased to speak with her either.

“Better without you. Is that all?” I asked.

She sighed. “Your father is out of prison. The attorney said we could take custody of you again.”

“I don’t wanna be under your fucking custody again, are you kidding me?”

“Nicolas, is that any way to speak to your mother?!” She yelled through the phone.
“No, but you’re not exactly a mother figure in my eyes, so why treat you like one?” I asked harshly.

“We’re coming to get you in an hour, be ready.” She said before hanging up.

I pressed end and threw the phone on the ground. “God damn it!”

“We’re not letting her take you away.” Ian said, getting off the bed. “There’s no fucking way.”

I wiped the tears from my cheeks. “She has power over all three of us.”

“But not my mom. My mom can fight for you, so can my dad. They’re not going to let you go either.” Riley said, getting off the floor.

Ian hugged me. I buried my face in his neck. “I don’t wanna go.” I said, on the verge of sobs. “My dad’s gonna do nothing but beat me up and talk shit to my face. My mom’s just gonna sit back and let it happen.”

“You’re not going anywhere.” Ian said softly, stroking my hair.

“Come on, lets go by my mom and tell her what happened.” Riley said, leading us out of his room to the living room.

“Nick, what happened?” Mom asked, worried.

I was about to explain, but then I totally broke down. No one but Riley knows how horrible it really was. They don’t even know how terrified I am.

“Nick’s dad is out of prison, so his parents want custody again. Nick doesn’t want to because his dad will just beat him up and ridicule him for going out with Ian. His mom just stands there and watches, like nothing is wrong. That’s why he came here in the first place. I had to take witness to it.” Riley said, tears welling in his eyes. “That’s why we can’t let him go. We have to fight to keep him here.”

“Oh no, Nick, sweetie, you’re not going back there.” Riley’s mom said, hugging me from the side opposite Ian. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you here.”

I sniffled, looking back at her. “Thank you, so much. It’s just…it’s so horrifying, just the thought of living with them again makes me what to break down into tears. I thought I’d never have to hear from them again.” I said, sitting down on the couch, Ian and Riley’s mom following, Riley kneeling in front of me.

“I don’t blame you at all, sweetheart. Don’t worry, you’re staying here.” She reassured me, kissing my forehead, getting off the couch, probably going to grab the phone to call Riley’s dad.

Riley quickly filled his mom’s spot and put his arm around me.

“I’m so scared.” I whispered, realizing that I was slightly shaking.

“Shhh, it’s okay, baby. They’re not taking you away.” Ian whispered, kissing my cheek.

I turned to kiss his lips. This was the one thing I was most afraid of losing, he is the one thing I’m afraid of losing. Without him I don’t know what I’d do.

“I don’t want to lose you.” I whispered against his lips.

“You’re not going to. I’m not going anywhere, you’re not going anywhere. I promise.” Ian whispered, putting his hand on my neck while I put mine on his cheek.

We kissed once more before I turned back to Riley and hugged him tightly. He started rubbing my back gently, comfortingly.

“How long did they say they were going to be?” I heard Riley’s mom call from the kitchen.

“About an hour, less than that, now.” I answered. “Fuck, I’m so scared.”

“You won’t even see them. We’re hiding you in our room when they’re here. Ian, my parents, and I will take care of your parents.” Riley said.

“Don’t even call them that. They’re not parents, not at all. The only thing they’ve done that’s remotely parental is conceive me.” I spat.

Ian and Riley both started rubbing my back.

We all turned our heads after we heard car doors.

“Shit, already?” I said, panicking.

“Follow me, Nick.” Ian said, pulling me off the couch and into my room, closing the door. We went into the walk-in closet and closed the door. He wrapped his arms around me and pushed me against the wall, just holding me.

“I thought you were going down there with the rest of them?” I asked, confused.

“I decided that if I never get to see you again, then why not make this a happy last memory?” He asked, finding my lips in the dark, moving his own on mine fiercely and passionately.
I grabbed his face gently as his hands roamed down around the hem of my shirt, slowly lifting it up and off my torso. I followed with the same action.

“I love you so much.” I said, starting to become breathless, forgetting what was going on downstairs, that my dad could come in at any moment and beat the shit out of me.

“I love you, too.” Ian responded, undoing my pants and sliding them off of me.

Once we were both unclothed and in a mess of each other, I heard the door to our room open.

We stopped, staying still as stone, a moan just wanting to come past my lips.

No voices came, but there were footsteps, and the only thing running through my mind was, “oh shit, oh shit, oh shit…” This is basically my worst nightmare coming true.

The footsteps neared the door to the closet, and I started shaking, the moan turning into a whimper.

A blanket was draped over my shoulders, and I automatically wrapped it around me so whoever it was out there wouldn’t see anything, Ian presumably doing the same.

To our dismay, the door opened, and we stayed as still as possible, thinking that the darkness of the closet would engulf us enough to make us unnoticeable.

“Oh, oh god, okay, bad idea.” I heard Riley’s voice say.

I could’ve kissed that guy, but instead I just ran up to him and hugged him, still blanket covered, of course.

“God, you scared the shit out of us! Why didn’t you say anything?!” I asked.

“They were still here when I got here, I didn’t want to blow your hiding place. But I’ll uh…let you get back to what you were doing.” Riley said, stepping out of the closet, shutting the door.

I turned back to Ian and we started up right where we left off.

Nothing but grateful, bliss filled thoughts ran through my mind. They actually told them off. I don’t have to go back to them. I can stay with Ian and not get beat for it. I can stay here with Riley, living how I want to, without getting ridiculed about my sexuality.

There could be no better feeling in the world.