An Introspective Connection

"I think I might... I think I might be ready to go home." Adam looked at me all funny. Kind of disappointed. What did he think I was going to say? "Oh... Okay, come on. We need to go to the hospital and get this situation fixed anyway." He pointed to his nose. "Um... What are our moms going to say when we tell them about what's happened here today? I mean... Don't you think they're going to tell us that we're going WAY too fast with this thing? We did JUST meet, you know. We've known each other for less than a day. How can we take this like this?" Adam looked at me with wonder behind his eyes.

I looked back at him. "Well, Adam... Um, I guess we did take this a little fast and it's jus--" Adam interrupted me. "I mean, I've had a boyfriend before. I grew up with him. It was actually right after I came out of the closet. Anyway, it took us a month to kiss... Wait... That's not exactly the best example. But... uh... oh, never mind." I looked at him. "Why isn't that a good example, exactly?" "Well, remember when I told you that it wouldn't be the first time somebody's pretended to like me just to embarrass me? Well, that was him. He was the first person I ever really cared about and liked like that. It broke me to pieces when that happened. It took me a while to get over him. And by 'a while' I mean about 3 months. That happened last year. That's partially why we moved here. That, and mom got a better job. But that's a story for another time. Anyway, I waited a month, and I still thought that was too fast, and I'd grown up with the boy. So, this whole thing? It's sort of overwhelming..."

It felt like somebody had ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped on it. I understand what he's saying. it is a bit... odd... that we've done this so fast. "Adam... I get what you mean, completely. I know that it's been a little too fast. I'm just so sure of everything that I feel. If you want me to lay off of this... I will. I can do that. It's no big deal. I just want you to be happy. Even if it means that I'm not going to have you as my boyfriend... That's fine. Your happiness is all that matters to me."

Adam smiled at me. "No, don't get me wrong, Tommy. I really like you. I do. I barely know you, but it's like... It's like I've known you for years. It's that special between us. I... I just thought I should say it to you. I thought it should be brought to attention. Just in case... You know?" I nodded, but stayed silent. Adam stopped and grabbed my wrist. "Come back here a second." It wasn't like I really had a choice in the matter. He jerked me back to where he was when he grabbed my wrist.

He pulled me into a tight hug. "Tommy, you're... You're perfect." He pushed his lips against my cheek and pulled away. I smiled and blushed. Fiercely. "Uh... Um, uh..." I stuttered. I turned around and started walking again. What do I say to something like that? Even if I had the best response ever, I couldn't have said it. I was completely surprised. He followed me and we started walking back to his house. Finally, we got to his house. It was about time. It was starting to get way too complicated. I didn't want to talk myself into something I can't talk myself back out of.

We walked into the house. Our moms were dancing around singing Destiny's Child. 'Survivor'. We walked in right in time to join in on the beginning of the song.
"Now that you're out of my life
I'm so much better.
You thought that I'd be weak without you.
But I'm stronger
You thought that I'd be broke without you
But I'm richer
You thought that I'd be sad without you
I laugh harder
You thought I wouldn't grow without you
Now I'm wiser
Though that I'd be helpless without you
But I'm smarter
You thought that I'd be stressed without you
But I'm chillin'
You thought I wouldn't sell without you
Sold 9 million
I'm a survivor (What?)
I'm not gon give up (What?)
I'm not gon stop (What?)"
By the time we got to that part, our moms finally realized we were singing and we were there. We all cracked up laughing and his mom finally turned it down. They finally looked over at us and the look on their faces showed that they wished that they hadn't. "Oh my goodness! What happened to your faces?!" "Ackley beat us up." I said.

Mom rolled her eyes. "Ackley? Again? Jesus... What are we going to do about him?" I shook my head. "I don't know." "Ackley? Who's Ackley?" Adam's mom asked. "Well, Ackley is this shit face that's been beating me up for about a year and a half now. He tortures me and he's partially the reason that I nobody really hangs out with me. He also enjoys calling me anything with the word 'fag' in it. There are these two other boys, Frank and Gerard, that sometimes wave and say 'Hi' to me... But, it's not a friendship. They're the only ones that don't torture me. So... Yeah..." Mom glared at me for swearing. "Sorry. That's what he is."

Mom got up and stroked my hair. "Honey, come on. Let's get you two to the hospital and get those noses fixed up. They look terrible." We nodded and walked back outside. Mom and Adam's mom followed us out. We got into my mom's car, on account of Adam's mother not knowing where the hospital was, and we headed out. "So, how'd all this happen?" Adam's mom asked curiously. I bit my lip and looked over at Adam. What the hell was I supposed to say to her? He gave me a look that said "Tell her. Tell it all. I'll help." I took a deep breath and started the story.

"Adam and I were walking from Wal-Mart towards the mall, holding hands like we were when we left. Then we stopped and started talking about our feelings for each othe-- that part isn't important. Anyway, they showed up, Adam stood up for me when he started calling me names, and then they did this to us." Mom looked at me in the rear-view mirror. What was that one part? The one you didn't finish?" I blushed and looked out the window, biting my lip. Adam stepped up. "We told each other that we like each other, and Tommy... Well, he..." "He...?" His mom piped up. "He kissed me."

"Ackley popped up and spotted us right as he kissed me, and basically kicked our asses, obviously." My mom reprimanded me for swearing but then smiled. "So, uh.. Are you two... boyfriends, now?" "MOM!" He yelled. He was blushing like mad, and I knew my face was burning red. "Uh... Yeah... I guess so. I mean, if it's okay with Tommy." I nodded. "Of course it is."