Keeping His Secret

*Present Time*

I slipped on a jacket in the darkness of my room. My elbow hit the bed post painfully. It took all my will not to scream out in pain. I grabbed my keys before slipping out of my room silently.

Mom was passed out in her room. I could hear her soft snore as I walked by, assuring me she was sound asleep. Nonetheless, I kept my footsteps quiet, wanting to keep the risk of being detected as low as I could.

I didn’t turn on any lights as I made my way down to the front door. Paranoia pulsed through my veins.

I couldn’t risk getting caught.

Not tonight.

The chilly air slapped my skin as I stepped outside. I gritted my teeth together as goose bumps formed all across my skin. I zipped my jacket up all the way, thankful that I had worn pajama pants instead of the usual boxers.

I didn’t have a license, so driving wasn’t an option. That was a good thing too. Starting up the car would most likely attract too much unwanted attention.

I would have to hike it to the park.

I clutched my house keys in my hand as I jogged over to the park. The familiar path brought back memories of my childhood. Of times before I stopped interacting with my mother. Memories I had long since forgotten about.

Why was I doing this?

I pushed the thought out of my head and kept running.

The park came into view a few minutes later. I slowed to a walk, breathing in heavily. I reached for my phone before a horrid thought crossed my mind.

I had left it at the house.

“Shit.” I hissed, sitting on the swings. I had no idea what time it was. Nor did I have any way of calling the police if the situation called for.

I was such an idiot.

I was tempted to leave. At least run back to my house to grab my phone, but I didn’t know if I had the stamina to make it there and back. I wasn’t unfit, I simply wasn’t used to running as fair as it would require to do so.

Closing my eyes, I tried to think about what time it might be. It was around ten of when I had first left the house. The park was about ten minutes away walking distance and I had jogged, shaving off around half the time.

Either way it was too close to midnight to push it.

~*~

I didn’t know how much time had passed. It had to be at least fifteen minutes since I’d arrived, though, which began to quickly irritate me.

I was growing fair too impatient with this man.

How much longer until he arrived?

Or worse…

What if no one showed up?

The thought sent embarrassment coursing through my veins. It could’ve been a prank done by the kids from school. They had never liked me, but I didn’t know how far the negativity went. Was it far enough to go into one of my childhood nightmares like this?

Get the loser at the park at midnight to wait for his childhood molester?

Yeah, hysterical.

“Forget this.” I growled, standing up. I was wasting my time here. This was stupid, foolish.

I flipped my hood up over top of my head, walking towards the exit.

An arm wrapped itself around my waist, pulling me back. I could feel myself collide with a hard body, the warm radiating through my thin jacket. “So sorry I’m late for our…rendezvous”

The familiar, husky voice sent shivers down my spine. I was frozen in place, both from fear and from shock. He had really come.

I didn’t know how to react.

I felt his lips move against my ear as he spoke, the close proximity sending my hear into overdrive, “I missed you Danny, did you miss me?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Slade chuckled, “I’ll take that as a yes.”

He spun me around to face him, keeping his hands on my hips. I felt his eyes roam my body, smirking at the pajama pants.

“Nice touch.” He chuckled, pulling at the waistband of my pants. He let it snap back, surprisingly painful.

I felt my face heat up from his comment. But my eyes were busy, taking in the man before me.

Dark curly hair peaked out from under a boxy baseball cap. It was too dark to read whatever script was on it. A shadow covered his eyes, giving them the appearance of a black color for his iris. Thin lips pulled back into a smirk.

He knew I was checking him out.

Slade stood much taller than me, muscles still hinted with the tight jacket he was wearing. His pants bagged just enough to reveal boxers.

Slade chuckled, bring my attention back to his face.

“You’ve grown so much since I last saw you.”

I licked my lips, gathering the courage to speak again, “So have you.”

“Only a little.” He said, “Unlike yourself, Danny-boy.”

“How did you get my number?” I asked hesitantly. I didn’t know if I wanted to know the answer or not.

Slade only smirked, “I have my ways.”

I guess my worry didn’t matter.

“What do you want?” I asked, trying to sound bolder than I felt. I needed an answer to as to why I was out here at this ungodly hour.

“Now, now, Danny. We’ll play twenty questions later.” He smirked, patting my cheek as if I were just a five year old.

“No—I need answers.”

“I will tell you, fret not. First, why don’t we get out of the cold.”

“No.”

Slade raised an eyebrow, surprised by my resistance. I wasn’t as stupid as he thought. I didn’t want to get kidnapped and raped tonight.

“Follow me, boy.”

The way he spoke sent shivers down my spine. Nonetheless, I followed him as he walked. Slade led us to a pair of trees that were close together. He sat down, leaning against the trunk of one.

I followed his actions. The ground was cold beneath me. I crossed my arms, trying desperately to warm myself up as subtly as possible.

Slade reached into his pocket, pulling out a box of cigarettes. He pulled out a lighter, picking a random cig out of the box. He placed the butt in his mouth, cupping a hand over the end and the lighter.

A few clicks later, he tucked the lighter back in his pocket along with the box of cigarettes.

He inhaled deeply, blowing out a cloud of smoke.

“Want one?” He asked, seeming to remember I was here.

I hesitantly shook my head no.

“Good it’s bad for you. It’ll get you killed someday.”

“Then why do you do it?” I asked

“I only smoke one a day.” He said defensively

As if that made all the difference.

“Come here kid.” He patted the ground next to him. I bit my lip, moving my body next to his. Slade wrapped an arm around me, pulling me closer. He took another drag, blowing the smoke away from my face.

“What did you mean?” I asked quietly

“What?”

“In the text message…” I trailed off “What reward?”

Slade smirked, “In due time.”

I felt anger bubble up inside of me. I had come out here for answers. That seemed to be exactly the one thing Slade wasn’t going to give me tonight.

“Are you cold?” He asked

I bit my lip, forcing my body to stop shivering “…No.”

He laughed, “I can warm you up”

I felt myself blush, “Ex-excuse me?”

Slade moved his head, nestling it into my neck. I felt him press his lips against it gently. I gasped when he opened his mouth slightly, his tongue touching my skin.

He chuckled, his hand moving up to my chin. He pulled my face towards him, moving his head away from my neck.

“You’re such an innocent boy, Danny.” He mumbled.

Slade held my head still, leaning in. My heartbeat sped up rapidly. He was going to kiss me? Here of all places?

He pressed his lips against mine, moving slowly. I felt my eyes flutter close. Slade nipped at my bottom lip, asking for entrance. Hesitantly, I opened my mouth slightly. His tongue met mine, keeping the kiss sweet and slow.

Slade’s tongue danced with my. I gasped as he increased the intensity of our kiss drastically. His grip on my chin moved to the back of my head. His fingers knotted, pulling tightly.

My eyes snapped open.

I pulled away sharply.

Slade opened his eyes, confused.

“This is so wrong.” I whispered, shaking my head.

“I’m sorry. Care to elaborate?” Slade asked.

“I-I’m not gay” I stuttered. “I mean, it’s cool if you are, but I’m definitely not. I like girls, not boys. I’m straight.”

He chuckled, “You could’ve fooled me.”

“Shut up!” I said loudly. I cringed slightly, lowering my voice, “I can’t go around kissing strangers, guys especially!”

Slade’s hand made its way onto my leg. I could feel the head radiated from his hand though my pajama pants.

“Maybe I can change your mind.” He said suggestively, his hand rising up to dangerously close areas. I gripped it, pulling it off.

“No, thank you.” I said quickly.

He chuckled, “Don’t worry, Danny, when I’m don’t with you, you’ll know whether or not you’re gay.”

I gulped.

Slade stood up, reaching down a hand for me. I accepted it, pulling myself up. I brushed off the back of my pants, trying to get the dirt off.

“It’s getting late.” He whispered.

Because it wasn’t late to begin with?

“I’ll be coming back for you, don’t fret.”

“When?” I asked.

Slade smirked, hiding under the shadow of his cap, “I’ll send you another text message whenever I’m coming.”

“But—”

He pressed his lips quickly against mine. “See you later, Squirt.”

Slade walked away into the darkness of the night.

I watched him disappear, thinking only one thought.

I couldn’t possibly be gay.