Set Me Free

Dane’s P.O.V.

Must I honestly always find a way to ruin everything? Well, not this time.
I was currently sitting in between Drew’s legs, my back against his chest while eating the nachos I’d forced my brother to go buy me.

It’s been like an hour and a half, maybe two hours, but it’s like Drew and I have always acted this close. After the initial awkwardness of Drew holding my hand, we got over it and just started cuddling. Jorge just came in, smirked and then yelled at me for making him drive all the way across town for some ‘fucking nachos’.

He’s currently talking to Drew and Kris, leaving me in peace while I ate. Who knew I’d be so hungry after coming out of two consecutive comas?

I am happy. That’s the only thing that can really describe how I feel at the moment. It makes up for the fact that I’ve felt like shit for the past month. I mean, who would have thought that just last month I’d meet the most gorgeous boy on the face of the earth, find out I’m gay, fall for him, get my heart broken (amongst other things), attempt suicide, fall into a coma, wake up, fall into yet another coma just to get the guy in the end? My life’s turning out pretty great at the moment, the only problem I have is wondering when dad’s getting out of jail. Because of me, his oil company had downsized. Employees are quitting, there have been way more strikes than before and people just plain hate him after finding out what he’d done to his own son behind closed doors. When he gets out of jail in a year and a half, he’ll be after me, no doubt about that.

Jorge said we could file a restraining order, but I don’t know how good that will be. He’ll find me, most likely kill me, and then he’ll pay his way into only about five more years in prison. I’m a dead man, but for the time being, I’m loved. It’s obvious that Jorge loves me, or he wouldn’t be here right now and so does Kris because he’s said so and he probably gave up his job to be here and Drew...

He never did tell me that he loved me, to my face, but I guess I just want to hear those three words. I’ve never heard them from anyone other than my brother and Kris, but they don’t count because I’m not dating them. I’m not dating Drew either for that matter...what are we? I wanted to ask, but was too afraid of ruining this moment and it’d be awkward in front of my brother and his boyfriend. I liked that word...boyfriend.

Approximately seven minutes after I finished eating my nachos, refusing to share with anyone (even Drew), Kris’s phone rang. I wasn’t paying attention until both he and Jorge scrambled out of the room, closing the door behind them.

Would I summon up the courage to ask?

“Drew?” I said, nervously twiddling my thumbs. Just because we’re practically cuddling at the moment doesn’t mean that all of the awkwardness is gone just yet.

Drew hummed and rested his chin on my head, a content sigh escaping his lips. Do I really want to risk this with a stupid question?

“Um...wh-what are we exactly?” I asked timidly, allowing my fringe to hide my bright face.
I could’ve sworn I heard him chuckle, but that could’ve just been my mind playing tricks on me.

“Well, I would ask you to be my boyfriend...” The heart monitor beat erratically, causing another light chuckle to escape Drew’s perfect lips. “...but we haven’t even been out on a date.” Aw, the heart monitor went back to its normal pace, slightly broken, but normal pace. “And I know you’re still in the hospital, but I called my mother twenty minutes ago, when you went to the washroom, and told her to break into your house and pick out your nicest outfit.” I could feel his smirk as he rested his head in the crook of my neck.
Does this mean he’s planning on taking me out on a date? Well, he can’t take me out, so...take in? I don’t know, but the heart monitor is just going crazy.

Apparently Ash thought so too because she came barging into the room, looking absolutely frantic, checking to see if I’m still alive. She breathed a sigh of relief once she saw that I was fine, then smirked, chuckling as she slowly made her way out the door. That wasn’t weird.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I’m nervous! After leaving the room for a little while, Ash came back and unhooked me from the heart monitor, saying that she didn’t want it to break from my frantic heartbeats. So Drew felt safe enough to leave me. After a lingering kiss on the cheek, he walked out the door to ‘hang out with Genna and Echo’. I’m pretty sure that’s code for: getting ready, but I don’t want to get my hopes up.

Mrs. Connelly had come and brought me this suit I didn’t know I owned. She had to stick around and help me with the tie because apparently I’m useless in that department; I didn’t want to wear it, I felt like a dog with a collar. Speaking of dogs, I miss my dog, he ran away just a little after the Connellys' moved in. I also miss Felicity, I haven’t seen her in a while and Gabe, I haven’t seen him in a while either.

“Will you stop fidgeting, you look amazing.” Mrs. Connelly slapped my hand away from the tie I was wringing. She later decided that I didn’t need it and set to making me look good without it.

She seemed just as excited about this as I was, all smiles and giggles. She claimed she knew that sooner or later Drew and I would get together and make the ‘cutest couple ever’. I was blushing for a good ten minutes while hearing her gush about our future wedding and babies. I don’t know how that baby thing will work out seeing as we’re both men, but she’ll find a way to make it happen.
I hope Drew and I get that far. Am I moving too fast? I mean, this is our first date and...our first date.

I wonder how it’ll go, where are we going anyway? At first we were just going to stay here and fancy up the room (which Genna was all up for), but after Ash removed me from the heart monitor, Drew said it would be better if we went out instead. I couldn’t agree more.

Jorge, of course, had to ruin everything when I told him. He rushed right over before Drew left, sat us down and tried giving us the sex speech. Drew left as soon as the word ‘condom’ escaped my brother’s lips. I was left to listen to the rest of it from my own brother as his boyfriend watched from the corner, futilely attempting to conceal his laughter under his hands.

It was awkward, to say the least, to look at Jorge the same after that. He explained everything. I knew him and Kris busied themselves with...pleasurable activities, but I didn’t know he’d know that much about sex. Good God, get a hobby or something!

A light knock on the door knocked my thoughts out of my brain, which just so happened to turn to mush. Here goes nothing.

Mrs. Connelly opened the door with a full pledged smile on her face. She moved aside to let him in and when he did, she slowly made her way out with a thumbs up to the both of us. Andrew was...damn.
His usual pin straight black hair was curled at the ends from the recent shower; his face was brighter, lit up by that magnificent smile of his. His midnight blue eyes were definitely lighter and just...wow. He too happened to be wearing a tux, which made me wonder where exactly we were going tonight, but what was different was the bouquet of flowers in his hand. Oh God, why am I the chick? I bet I’ll be bottoming too...let’s just pretend that didn’t go through my head.

I was nervous...all over again. I didn’t look half as good as he did, which made me wonder why he wanted me all of a sudden, but didn’t question it. I wasn’t about to ruin this momentous night.

“Why are you blushing?”

When I looked up (when did I look down?) from my fancy shiny shoes (that Mrs. Connelly had to let me borrow since I didn’t have anything other than converse), I noticed that Drew was closer than he was just a second ago. In fact, he was standing right in front of me; there was no such thing as a personal bubble.

Red tinted my cheeks as he looked down the roses before smiling and extending them out to me. Do I take them? Do I thank him? WHY IS THIS SO HARD!?

I ended up stuttering my way through both while Drew just smiled lovingly and led me down to his car. Genna, Echo, Ash and Mrs. Connelly were hiding behind a wall, right next to my room and as soon as we came out, cameras started flashing. These girls are so embarrassing? Why would they do something like that to me?
Drew just laughed it off, grabbing my hand and leading out of the hospital and into his car. The nurses here who knew me all smiled and winked when I passed. I’m pretty sure Drew saw all of those too. Is everyone just out to get me?

I sat in Drew’s car, wringing my hands, staring straight ahead, trying to make myself look like less of a tool. I don’t think I was doing such a good job.

“S-so, w-where are we going...exactly?” I stuttering, risking a glance at the smirking Drew. He didn’t tell me, saying that it was ‘a surprise’. Said ‘surprise’ was most likely ridiculously expensive. He seemed like the type.

“You know I can’t tell you that. You don’t want to ruin the surprise do you?”

“I don’t like surprises. You should tell me or I’m not going.” I pouted and crossed my arms like a five year old who didn’t get his favorite candy. I know I’m immature; it’s in my blood.

My immaturity, though, managed to get my mind off of the fact that I was nervous beyond reason.
Finally, after much driving and Drew poking my cheek every time he stopped at a red light, we arrived at...the beach?

I thought that was where we were headed, until Drew turned into an unmarked path, headed for what looked like a small restaurant. Crap...this is romantic.

Never mind; at first sight, when driving in, the restaurant would look really small and cozy, but it was actually pretty big. It was a simple one story restaurant, but it sure was quite wide. Beach sand littered the ground while palm trees hid some of the beautiful facade. The partial night sky cast a beautiful light background to just make the scenery even more amazing.

Words cannot possibly describe how gorgeous this place looked and no picture could possibly catch its entire essence.
Then again, some people might not like this sort of thing. Most people here in Beverly Hills would rather the high class expensive restaurants that charge a thousand dollars for barely half of a meal. Hopefully the food here is just as good as the outside.

“Do you like it?” Drew asked, somewhat nervously from beside me. We’d yet to exit the car.

I could do nothing more than nod feverishly while trying to maintain my manhood.

Drew just seemed to like making me feel like a woman because he got out of the car and rushed to my side to open the car door for me. I like the whole ‘romantic’ thing, but it left me blushing like mad when he took my hand in his and led me to the door.

“Reservation for two.” Reservation? This may look cozy, but I bet it cost a fortune. Something told me this would be the king of first dates.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The restaurant and most importantly, the date, just got better by the second. Apparently there is a lake right behind the restaurant and when it gets darker, candles light up all over the place. It was absolutely magnificent!

It was nearing ten o-clock and the date wasn’t over yet. I love that word...date. This isn’t the same Drew I remember; this one’s more relaxed and likes to embarrass me by staring at me for an extended period of time.
I also never knew people in Beverly Hills could openly be so accepting of homosexual relationships. The night went on without any embarrassment or awkwardness by couples staring at us in disgust. In fact, there were about five more homosexual couples scattered all over the restaurant, having the time of their lives.

I was finally getting comfortable with the idea of dating Andrew Connelly before he just decided to ruin it for me.

Rising from the table unannounced, he walked over to my side of the table and bowed slightly, left hand behind his back while the right was extended out towards me. Huh?

“May I have this dance?”

Dance? Are you kidding me? Since when does Drew dance anything but the robot? And I’ve seen his robot, it’s not the best. He’s not trying to embarrass me is he...too late.

My cheeks flamed red and I could’ve sworn they caught fire.

“My back hurts...so is that a yes or a no?” He laughed.

Well I can’t exactly say no, now can I?

I don’t know what song was playing, but it was a slow one and I don’t think my cheeks can get any brighter.

I can’t dance to save my life and slow dances will just kill me. People are actually watching.

“Why are you doing this to me?” I groaned as I placed my arms around Drew’s neck, eyes shut tight.

“Because it’s all romantical and stuff.” Yep, it’s still Drew.

“I can’t dance; you’re just doing this to embarrass me, aren’t you.”

Drew just chuckled and pulled me closer as we swayed back and forth.
I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face as I laid my head on Drew’s shoulder as he swayed us professionally back and forth. Maybe dancing isn’t so bad.

After we got the check from the restaurant (which Drew wouldn’t let me see), we took a little stroll to the beach, where Drew decided it would be fun to not only throw me in the water, but then laugh about it and run away. He’s half douche, but that’s okay; he came back and helped me out with a bullshit apology (he was still laughing) All in all it was pretty fun, especially after I threw him into the water as well.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Drew was driving me back to the hospital, fingers linked with mine, bright smiles on both of our faces. This is honestly the best day of my life.

Nurses still smiled when we walked into the hospital and Ash was off for the night, so she couldn’t harass me. Genna and Echo had obviously gone home and Kris and Jorge had gone back to their hotel for the night.

Drew told me that he wanted to treat this like a real date (which I already thought it was) and told me that he was going to pretend like the hospital was my house and that he was walking me up to my door to say goodnight.

So here we are, standing in front of my room door, the nerves just deciding to raise right back up to my stomach.

“Goodnight Daniel Santon Jr.” He smiled, knowing full well what he was doing to me.

“Why am I the chick?” I mumbled, crossing my arms and pouting.

“Because I’m manlier and taller.” He smirked, crossing his arms as well and smirked.
“One of us has to be the woman and since that can’t be me, you have no choice.”

“Fine, but don’t expect me to cook for you.”

We stood at the doorway for a good fifteen minutes, laughing and talking about absolutely nothing; everything we didn’t get to talk about on the date. I still love that word.

When he told me he had to go, I received a light kiss on the cheek and a goodbye hug; we’re supposedly ‘taking things slow’. That’s alright with me, as long as Drew and I are considered something.

I called both Ash and Genna and told them everything. They squealed until I was forced to hang up from the pain in my ears.
I fell asleep with a smile on my face that night and the next morning, Drew called and asked me to be his boyfriend.

No, this is the best day of my life.