Winter Secrets

Starting at a new school isn’t easy. You have to learn the way to new classes, get caught up from things that you missed in the shot time that you weren’t in school and the hardest part, make new friends. I was thankful that Robert and Julian had found me though. They were a big help in moving into a place that I wasn’t familiar with at all. And they were the most amazing people in the world. I couldn’t have asked for more amazing new parents.

Robert and Julian were high school sweethearts. Of course they never told anyone because their friends and family weren’t exactly okay with the “gay thing”. But on the day of their high school graduation, Julian ran onto the stage and kissed Robert, shocking everyone. But much to their surprise, most everyone, including their families, were okay with them being together. Rob told me that many had suspected they were gay and together though.

They were so wonderful though. Julian worked at the car shop not too far from home. Good five minute drive at most. It paid very well but he always came home smelling of oil. Robert and I always teased him about it now. Robert worked at the bookstore that was quiet popular over on Main Street. It was just about the best book store that I had ever seen in my life. From the short stories you could read to a child before bed, to the most inappropriate adult books; they had it all.

After adopting me and taking me, willingly, away from the orphanage, Robert and Julian settled on letting me have three days to settle in. Then it was time to start school. Winter break was in just three weeks, but the two insisted on getting me back into school as soon as possible.

My first day there turned out better than expected. People already knew who I was considering Robert and Julian were the talk of the town since they had gotten together. It sounds bad; as if the people in town didn’t like them. But it wasn’t like that. They just happened to be the only gay couple in the town and people were quite intrigued about how normal they were. Especially the Christians.

It shocked me how many people accepted the couple. And it gave me a little hope that this school, wasn’t going to be like all of the others.

I didn’t really make any friends my first day. Or really any other day either. There was this girl named Erica that sat next to me in Biology class. She seemed pretty nice, I guess. She talked me into going on a snow trip that started next week. It sounded like a lot of fun and there was still a few spots open.

Julian was thrilled when he heard. Robert on the other hand, wasn’t on board. It took a while to convince him, but eventually, we did.

“Alright, Katherine, let’s go!” I heard Robert call from the living room. I continued to stare between the open suitcase and the large pile of clothes that didn’t want to fit inside. I didn’t know if this cabin we were staying in was providing a washer and dryer. So I had to be prepared. “What’s the hold up in here?” Rob asks, his voice close now. I listened as he pushed open my door and walk into my room.

“I can’t fit all of these clothes in here,” I said, motioning at the pile of clothes and suitcase.

“Do you really need that much?” He chuckled.

I nodded, “I need to be prepared.”

He chuckled again, “Of course. Hold on, maybe Julian has an extra bag you can use.” He disappeared for a few moments and I continued to stare. I don’t know what I planned on accomplishing by staring at them. Maybe I could scare the clothes into fitting inside the suitcase.

I shook my head, giggling out loud. Yeah, scare them into a suitcase. I’m losing it.

“Here we go,” Robert said, entering my room again with a small, black duffel bag in hand. He set it on my bed and helped me fold half the pile of clothes into the duffel and the other into the suitcase. “All ready now?” He asks has he zips up the suitcase.

“Yes,” I nod. I grab the two duffels I have, leaving Robert to take the suitcase. As we go down the flight of stairs into the living room, we find Julian lounged out on the couch watching cartoons. He looks up at us as we descend the stairs.

“Finally,” He jokes, turning off the TV. “I knew you should have packed last night.”

“Right, that’s why you gave her a controller and challenged her to Mario Brothers until one in the morning,” Robert snorted from behind him. I smiled at the memory of kicking my new father’s butt in a video game.

“Let’s just go,” Julian smirks, taking the duffels from my hands and bringing them to the car. The car had been running for few minutes now, making it nice and warm when I slid inside. Robert and Julian loaded my bags into the trunk before joining me inside the car. It wasn’t going to take us long to get to the school. But the drive was long enough to get me rethinking the trip.

I didn’t know anyone that was going, other than Erica. And she wasn’t exactly my friend. Plus, I had only been snowboarding once in my life. I wasn’t very good at it. This was a bad idea.

But, I forced myself out of the car as we parked in front of the school. I helped bring my bags over to the bus driver who was loading other bags onto the bus. He looked relived when he saw that I only had three bags. People must not have been packing light.

Turning around after setting down the last bag, I was met by the smiling faces of my new parents.

“Be safe, alright?” Robert says to me, kissing my forehead. “And make sure you call to check in so that we know you’re alive.”

“I will,” I assure him with a chuckle.

“And call before having sex with anyone,” Julian adds so casually.

“Dad!” I exclaim, my cheeks turning a light pink.

“Sorry,” He laughs.

“Just have fun,” Robert says, patting me on the shoulder. Julian wraps me in a quick hug before they hurry back to the car. I wave to them as I watch them pull away from the school and then disappear out of sight.

No turning back now.

I hurry onto the bus, starting to get very cold. I let out a sigh of relief when I was met by warm air. I find Erica in the small crowd of kids on the bus. She was in the back, talking with her friends. I debate if I should go back there for a few moments. I decide against it and slide into one of the vacant seats towards the front. I sit in the middle; not wanting to be close to the window nor the edge.

After sitting on the bus, making designs on the back of the seat in front of me for twenty minutes, Mr. Lane walks onto the bus. He was the main teacher that was in charge of the trip, and also my science teacher. He holds a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other.

“Alright, everyone, listen up,” He calls, trying to get the attention of everyone. He waited until everyone settled down to start talking. “When I call your name, raise your hand so that I know you’re here.”

He starts reading off a list of names. I recognized a few other names other than Erica; Noah and Lacey, who were both in my dram class. I think they liked each other. I didn’t know really. Our drama teacher though, was a bit of a freak. The rumors that went around school were that she was a drug addict. And it didn’t seem like much of rumor once you met her. But I had to admit, she was a fantastic actress.

“Peter Harrison,” Mr. Lane calls out, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Has anyone seen Peter?” He asks us. When no one answers him, he sighs and begins to write something on his clipboard.

“Wait, wait!” I hear someone say as they stumble into the bus. The driver sighs, getting out of his seat to load the boy’s bags. “I’m here, Mr. Lane. Sorry I’m late.”

“As always,” Mr. Lane shakes his head. “Take a seat Peter.”

Peter scans the bus and then hurried over to take the vacant seat in front of me. I remember Erica mentioning Peter once before. She had said he was bad news. Apparently he was in an on and off again relationship with a girl named Monica in our grade. During their “off” time, he was known to hook up with girls. But then Monica came crawling back to him.

It was odd to me. Why would two people break up with each other if they know they will just get back together? What does that say about them?

“Katherine Knight?”

I lazily raise my hand and Mr. Lane checks my name off the list. Lowering my hand, I bring it to my jacket pocket and pull out my iPod. I slide on of the ear buds in, turning up the volume as Queen fills my ears.

After confirming everyone being here, Mr. Lane sits down and we pull away from the school. I stare out the window at the dark grey sky, watching the snowflakes fall freely.

“Hey,” A voice says to me. I jumped in surprise and turn my head to see Peter turned around in his seat, looking at me. “You’re Katherine, right? You just started here?”

“A week ago,” I confirm. I probably shouldn’t be talking to him. I didn’t want to get wrapped up in his drama. Like Erica had told me, he’s bad news.

“That’s cool,” He says with a smile. I couldn’t tell if his smile was genuine or something he practiced in the mirror to make girls swoon. He was probably used to girls falling all over him. “I’m Peter.”

“So I heard,” I say, referring to earlier when he rushed onto the bus after Mr. Lane had called his name.

“Do you know anyone here?” He asks me, looking around the bus at all the people.

“Erica is in my biology class. Noah and Lacey are in my drama class. But I’m not really friends with any of them.” I explain.

“Good,” He shakes his head. “Erica isn’t the best company.”

“And why is that?” I ask curiously. They must have history. Maybe her bad boy story was bullshit and they just didn’t like each other. Maybe he fucked her when he wasn’t with Monica… No. Katherine, stop. You don’t want to get caught up in someone else’s drama.

“She’s a liar,” He tells me simply, shrugging his shoulders. I raise my eyebrow. I got the same answer from her. They have to have history. No! Stop.

“I see,” I answer. “Thanks for the warning.”

“No problem,” He says before turning back around in his seat. I move my eyes back to the window to stare at the snow again. I was about halfway through one of my playlists when I felt someone slid into the seat next to me. I turned to see Peter.

“What are you doing? You know you’re not supposed to switch seats while the bus is moving.” I scold him.

“Eh, no one ever obeys that rule. Plus, I’m alive aren’t I?” He says, smiling. “What are you listening to?” He asks, changing the subject easily.

“Here,” I say, offering him the other ear bud. He glances down at it. “You’ll laugh at me if I tell you. But if you listen, maybe you won’t.”

“This better not be Justin Bieber,” He says as he takes the ear bud from me. I watch his eyes widen in surprise as he listens to the song. He asked at the perfect time. It was around the end of the sound when the artist sings louder, more powerful. It always gave me the chills whenever I listened to it.

“Who is this?” Peter asks me, shock clear on his face.

“David Archuleta. It’s called Broken.”

“That’s really good,” He says as the song ends. “And I will kill you if you tell anyone I ever said a David Archuleta song was good.”

“My lips are sealed.” I chuckle.

“So,” Peter says, handing me back my ear bud as he turns his whole body to face me. “This may be a little personal, but you were adopted by two men, right?”

“Right,” I nod, curious to hear what he had to ask.

“Is it weird at all? Do you call both of them dad?”

“It isn’t weird at all. I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t think it would be weird at first. But they’re really great and once you see how in love they are… It’s not weird at all. And I call Robert daddy and Julian dad.” I explain to him. I knew that sooner or later, someone was going to ask me about them. And I was more than happy to answer this one.

Peter didn’t seem like he was judging me. He was just genuinely curious about it. I would be two if I had met someone with two fathers. But Peter earned some major points by being so accepting. Maybe Erica was just a jealous person and made up things to make me think he was a bad guy. But there was no way I would let my guard down yet.