Pretty Boy

I was getting real tired of people giving me snide remarks about hanging out with Avery, and I just about told them I was gay to get them off my back. But Avery said if anything that would make it worse. Plus, I wanted to come out to my parents first. They deserved that, and when they wholeheartedly accepted me I would have more strength to tell people who surely wouldn't. Plus, I wanted Avery to be my boyfriend.

Yeah, we'd only been talking a couple weeks but that was more than enough. He was perfect, everything I wanted in a boy. He was kind and sweet and understood me in ways my other friends didn't. He was supportive. And lately, he's been going to my football games.

Which is where I was currently.

We were waiting to run out on the field. Huddled up inside the giant blown-up mascot, someone coughs out the word "fag" and I'm pretty sure I'm going to explode. Maybe I'm shy and quiet and I blush a lot, but I'm sure not about to me pushed around and bullied. And on second thought, I wasn't going to let that happen to Avery anymore either!

"Will you shut the hell up?!" I say loudly, attempting to turn around in the huddle. It's one of the lineman just behind me; and even through his helmet I can see him glaring at me. "I mean fuck! Get over yourself!"

"You're the cock sucker," he says, starting to push his way through me. But my buddy Charles, also a linebacker, steps forward and shoves against the guy's chest. I can't hear what he says because our names are suddenly called and the boys not involved in all this start yelling and cheering, and suddenly everyone's pushing past to run out onto the field. My eyes narrow, and I watch the same kid who insulted me walk by and slam his shoulder into mine; luckily for the pads it didn't hurt.

Charles shakes his head as he looks at me, and I realize there's still five other guys behind him. I smile, because I recognize all of them as my friends. I'm friends with everyone on the team, yeah, but if I had to pick it'd be these guys. "We've got your back man," Charles says, slapping my shoulder and grinning at me from behind his face mask. "No matter what."

I nod my head, at a loss for words. This is one of the those instances in which my shier personality takes over. But Charles hollers and says we have a football game to win, and with cheers the rest of us follow the team out onto the field.
~

Despite looking into the crowd, I can't actually see Avery and he's not at the side like he had been before. It's disappointing, but I know he's up there somewhere with his parents because that's what he told me he was doing.

I'm on the sideline for the last seconds of the game, because we're defense and if they make a touchdown they'll be one point behind us and then they can kick a field goal and we'd go into overtime. I didn't want that. No one wanted that.

But as their running back takes off, I watch number thirty on our team make a flying tackle and the alarm sounds and everyone is up and screaming. We're in the playoffs for the first time in ten years. We're in the freaking playoffs!

I'm screaming my head off, jumping around and storming the field. And soon, the students in the stands are storming the field. Everyone is screaming and laughing and freaking out, and I'm honestly right up there with them.

I'm more than surprised by a pat on my back, but I turn and look down to find a very short, red-cheeked Avery excitedly bouncing on his toes.

Grinning, I don't hesitate to hug him. Despite the fact I'm disgustingly sweaty, probably smell like a locker room, and my pads make me bulky and hard to Avery's touch. But he gladly hugs me back and I'm happy my helmet is on because I'm blushing so hard my entire face is hot.

"I don't really know what's going on," Avery yells up to me, having to stand close in the large crowd. "But everyone is happy so congratulations!"

I laugh, pulling my helmet off. I'm sure my hair is crazy and there's sweat pouring down my face, and I lean down closer to Avery so he doesn't have to yell. "We're going to playoffs!" I say.

Avery gives me a little shit eating grin, and I feel myself blush under the gaze. Hopefully he can't tell the difference between my exertion to it. "I'll pretend I know what that means exactly!" He says, and I swear he's too adorable right now. Finally, it's not me embarrassing myself. Although Avery doesn't seem in the least bit ashamed.

"Jake!" Someone yells, and I look up from Avery to see Chad, one of the guys who stayed back with me and Charles earlier. "We're going to The Burger Joint! You coming man? What about you Avery?"

Admittedly, Avery looks a little startled Chad even knew his name, and it's kind of cute. I smile slightly and chuckle, before nodding my head at my teammate. "We'll be there!"

I didn't even really need to ask Avery if that was cool with him. He was going with me, I knew he couldn't say no.
~

He didn't say no, but I could've told you that from the beginning. He does have to ask his parents permission, and while he does that i go to the locker room to change. No one is calling me names this time, which is a nice little change. The five guys from earlier are laughing with me as we change. They say they'll save Avery and I a spot, and I'm left last in the room to leave.

I slip on a Adidas hoodie and a pair of jeans, not bothering to shower. Instead I just spray some cologne on. I sigh and head out with my bag strewn across my chest, and I smile when I see Avery huddled near the gate outside the locker rooms, hood over his head and hands tucked inside his arms. I walk towards him, giving an awkward wave when he looks up at me. Why can't I be natural around this boy?

"It got cold!" Avery says, walking toward me with a big smile on his face, cheeks red from the wind. I just smile and nod, and because no one was around i let my arm come to rest over his shoulders. He's so short! But I'm going to be honest, I love it. I smile and pull him along, toward my truck which is sitting almost alone in the parking lot. "My parents said I had to be home by midnight," Avery pipes up, and I look down at him and nod, dropping my arm from around him as we walk to our separate sides of the car.

"What a lame time," I joke, turning the heat in high and flashing Avery a grin. With that, I head towards the burger joint. I think this is the first time he'll he with a large group of students from our school, outside of school. But I wouldn't let him be alone, not when this was like an unofficial date.

“Not everyone’s families are totally awesome like yours,” he says in a way that makes me laugh. I shake my head, glancing over at him before my eyes train back on the road. “I’ve never really been to this place without my parents or Marcus,” he says lowly. I hum, glancing over at him. The good thing about us getting to know each other over the weeks, is that we’re much more comfortable around each other. And he’s starting to be able to read me, and I him. “Marcus is my big brother,” he explains. “He’s at school right now.”

“Well,” I say, pulling up to The Burger Joint which is full to the brim with cars and students walking around. We have to park in the very back. “I’m honored to be your first,” I murmur, glancing over at Avery and feeling my cheeks warm in a soft blush. Avery just grins, and we slip out of the truck to head inside, cuddled tight under our clothes. Chad waves us over when we enter, where he saved two seats towards the end of the line of tables. Good thing, because we definitely get a look from some of the others. I wish I could punch them in the face. Every single one of them.