Hi readers!! This is my first time publishing a story like this, or at all. I would love to hear what you think about this story at Jandrus@gmail.com. Please make sure to at least put the name of the story in the subject line or, I may just delete it without looking at it. Not much happens in this chapter but, I promise that it will get a lot juicier in the future.
The usual disclaimers apply. If you are under the age of 18, or legal age wherever you are, you shouldn't be reading this. Also, please do not steal or copy this work. This is a work of fiction and any resemblance to people or places is purely coincidence.
Enjoy! -J
Chapter 1
BANG!!
I jolted up right in his bed only to realize it was just my mom slamming the sliding glass door downstairs. UGH!! Why does she have to slam it so hard all the time?!! In the winter, the door didn't always want to shut all the way due to the foundation shifting. So, you had to shut it a bit more forcefully to get it to close right. You didn't have to slam it like that though. I roll my eyes. What time is it. I roll over and grab my phone. 6:30 a.m., a full half an hour before I had planned on getting up.
On any other day, I would have pulled the covers over my head and slept for another hour but, today was the day. I was finally moving out of my mother's house! Hopefully for good this time. I can't stand living with my mother any longer. At, 25 who could blame me?
I throw the covers off of me, shiver at the cold air that hits my mostly naked body, and jump out of bed. That would be another thing that I wouldn't have to worry about after today. We were pretty poor and mom was frugal with her money. The heat was always set at the bare minimum, just high enough so that we wouldn't freeze. She was always saying to put on more clothes but, wearing more than underwear to sleep was way too uncomfortable. Most of the time, I slept naked. And who wants to wear a hoodie around the house at all times to just be marginally warm? I didn't anyway.
I made my way to the mirror and looked at myself. I smiled. Standing at 6'2" and around 200 pounds, I was looking pretty good these days. I wasn't cocky about it though, it hadn't always been that way. Since I was 14 I was always a bit on the chubbier side. Now, I was happy with my body. I wasn't ripped by any means but, there was some definite definition going on now in my arms, chest, and abs. That's all that I had wanted and it took me a year and half to get it.
I run my hand down my body and readjust my, now mostly deflated, morning wood. Then, turning around, I stuck out my butt and admired it. That was what I was most happy about with my new look. I had gone from no butt at all to a nice, round and perfect bubble butt. Every gay bottom needs a perfect butt, right?
Yep, I'm gay, I've known since I was 12 when my best friend at the time took my cherry. No one knew anything until my junior year in high school though. At least, nothing was confirmed. Even then, it was only a couple of choice friends that I told and I identified as bi back then. Then my best friend, Kim, shoved me out of the closet after graduation. I was so pissed at her we didn't talk for the whole summer. Now, when I look back, I'm thankful that she did it.
I throw on a pair of gym shorts and head off down the stairs and straight to the coffee maker.
"How come you're up so early?" my mom asks.
I turn around and give her a did-you-really-just-ask-me-that look. "Uhh ... I'm leaving today remember?"
"Well, of course. It's still early for you though."
"You woke me up when you slammed the door. I figured, why waste the time?" I said.
"Sorry, You know the door doesn't like to shut properly in the winter" she says with some attitude.
"I know! You don't have to slam it like that though! Especially at 6:30 in the morning!!" I give the attitude right back. This is always how it goes. We never really clicked when I was growing up. I was the loner child and I didn't really communicate or tell her much of anything. The most she got out of me if she asked about school or work was "good". Then again, I didn't tell anyone anything, except for Kim.
"Yes, you do or you let all the heat out the door!" she snaps back.
I just roll my eyes, without her seeing of course. Don't need to get in a huge fight this morning. I know when to stop by now. You can't argue with her about anything. She's always right, same with my dad. That's probably why they split 22 year ago. Luckily there wasn't a nasty divorce because they were never married. I just get out the bowl and the cereal and go about getting some breakfast for myself.
I take my coffee and cereal back up the stairs to finish packing. Most everything is already packed in and in the U-Haul pod in the front yard and my car. Just a few last minute things needed to be done. I pack up my laptop, the rest of my clothes and clean up what's left of the mess in my room. At some point I end up in sweatpants and my signature t-shirt with a hoodie.
I bring everything down stairs and out to the car. I call the U-Haul to let them know the pod is ready and confirm by new address with them for delivery. I turn around and look up at the house. This is it. I'm finally leaving. 25 years in this place ... I start reminiscing and a tear rolls down my cheek.
My phone going off brings me back. I get it out to see a text.
Kim: You haven't left yet have you?!!
Me: No, why?
Kim: I'm coming to say goodbye! DUH
Me: I didn't think you would actually get up early enough. :-P
I smile and start heading back into the house.
Kim: I wouldn't miss it for it for the world!!
Me: :-D
I make my way to the living room, sit in the chair and open up Facebook.
"Heading out soon?" mom asks from the couch.
"Yeah, just waiting for Kim" I answer. I make a post on Facebook: Waiting for my BFF to come say goodbye and then heading out to start a new chapter in my life! I'm so excited!! :-D I look up to see Kim's car pull in and hop up to go out to meet her. I see she brought the whole family with her and I crack a huge smile.
Alex, her 6 year old son, is the first out of the car. He comes running up to me with his usual grin plastered on his face. "Ryan!! Why are you leaving?!" he asks me, his face and voice getting all pouty at the end.
I pick him up – no easy task anymore. He may be six but, he's built like and 8 year old – and say " I have to, buddy. I have a new job and a new place to live".
"Why can't you just get a new job here?" he asks with the same sad voice and expression.
"Because, that's where the job is that he went to school for, honey" Kim says as she joins us by the deck followed by her husband, John, and daughter, Allie.
"Ryan!!" Allie yells out with that adorable smile attached to her face and holds her arms out for me to pick her up.
I replace Alex with Allie. She's a bit easier to hold since she is only 2. "Hi princess!"
"So, I'm just never gonna get to see you again?" Alex asks. His voice is breaking my heart.
"Of course you'll get to see me again! Just not as much as you do now" I say to him, trying to cheer him up. I was at their house 3-4 days out of every week. I basically lived there. When Alex was a baby, I was the go to babysitter since I never charged Kim anything for it. He was just so used to me being around. Allie wasn't quite as attached to me. "You'll get to come visit me just like you visit Dave." Dave was Alex and Allie's godfather.
"Ohhhhh. So, we get to go to the beach when we visit you?!" Alex asks, excitement replacing the sadness in his voice.
"Well, there won't be a beach where I live." His face drops. "But, do you remember when me and mommy too you to Darien Lake?" I ask him. He nods. "Well, there is a place like that near my new house that is bigger and has even bigger roller coasters and rides!!"
Alex's face lights up. "And you'll take me there?!!" he asks.
"Of course!! If you want to go, that's what we'll do."
"Yay!!!" he yells gleefully and takes off across the yard. Allie leans after him so, I put her down and she goes off after him.
I smile and look at Kim and John. The smile quickly fades away. This is it. I'm moving away and leaving them behind, my two best friends. I haven't been away from Kim for more than 4 months in the last 13 years. She's been there for me for everything. She's been my rock, my shoulder to lean on, my accomplice, and so much more. A tear rolls down my cheek. What am I going to do without them. I had been so afraid that they would take their degrees and leave me behind and now I'm the one that's leaving.
"Don't be such a pussy Ryan!" John says to me. Kim gives him a look and hits his arm but it brings half of a smile to my face. That was how our relationship was. John was, and still is for the most part, a homophobe when Kim met him. After almost 8 years, me and John were almost as close as Kim and I were.
"Don't worry, I'll survive" I tell him. He moves forward and I reach out my hand expecting to shake his. Instead, he wraps his arms around me. I'm stunned for a second, and by the look on her face, Kim is too. He's never done this before.
I return the hug and then he steps back. He reaches into his pocket, pulls out a small bag, and hands it to me. "A going away present. I thought you might need it."
The smell hits me immediately so I quickly tuck it into my pocket. "Now you're trying to get me busted for taking drugs across the state border? Nice going away present."
"Maybe you will drive more carefully with it is your car" he says. I have a not so good past when it comes to speeding a wearing my seatbelt. No accidents, thankfully, and 7 tickets isn't that bad, right?
"Yeah, maybe" I say with a smile.
John walks away to go after the kids. I turn my attention to Kim and the tears start instantly. She hugs me and says, "Stop. Don't cry".
I could hear the tears in her voice. "You can't say that if you're going to cry too."
"I know but, it sounded good" she admits. "But you're going to be ok. We're going to be ok. You're getting away and starting a new life. Away from your mom, away from this town, and away from everything that's been dragging you down. You're going to a new town and a new awesome job and you're going to meet someone there. You're going to be happy."
"And what about you?" I say after a moment.
"I've got my degree and will get a job. John is going for his internship and then will be looking for a job too. Maybe we will just end up in Ohio with you."
I squeeze here tighter. "Is everything that I'm going to get worth being so far away from you?"
"Of course it is!! You can't let me hold you back from this" she says quietly but, forcefully.
"I know but..."
She squeezes me even tighter and then steps back. "This is going to be good for you. Love you."
"Love you too, Kimi." We hug once more and she heads for the car. John already has the kids in and ready to go. I wave to them and watch them drive away. My whole world is in that car, pretty much. It was amazing how closely we were attached.
I take a deep breath and then head into the house. "Alright mom, I going to hit the road." It's almost 9 at this point and I have a 3 hour drive ahead of me.
"Ok, honey, You sure you have everything?"
"Everything important I can think of." We look at each other for a moment and then I give her a hug. "And if I don't, I can just come back and get it."
"Ok" she says quietly.
It's time like these when I wish I was closer to her. Unfortunately, she's one of the reasons that I want to go. I just can't stand living with her anymore. I love her. Of course I love her, she's my mom. I just need to get away. "Thank you," I say, "for everything."
"Of course, honey. You call me if you need anything" she says while letting go. 3
"I will. Love you."
"I love you, too" she replies.
I turn for the door and go to my car. I stop and take one last look at the house I spent the last 25 years in. I'm going to miss it bad but, I'm happy to me moving on. I get in the car, start it and crank the heater. It's good that it hasn't snowed in the last few days; the drive will be much easier. I back down the driveway, crank the music an start my journey into my whole new life.