tomorrow night.”
Kieran deflated. He knew it was true. He’d heard Matt mention it only a minute ago; he was just so afraid of whatever it was they had between them burning out. “Friday?”
Drew seemed to mull it over, and just when Kieran was becoming desperate, he finally nodded his head. “Friday should be okay.” Kieran smiled. “Great.”
Drew laughed a little, probably at how infatuated he sounded, but Kieran didn’t care.
“Oh, hey, give me your cell.” Drew held out his hand.
“Um, okay.” He pulled his cell out and handed it over. He watched Drew tap at the screen, and then took it when handed back to him.
“Now you have my number. Text me later, if you want.” He shrugged in a way Kieran guessed was supposed to be flippant. “I will,” Kieran said, trying to not look as relieved and happy as he felt.
“Great. So… Friday, then.”
Drew nodded, wetting his lip, and smiled in a flat-out flirtatious way. “Friday.”
Kieran bit his lip and nodded. “Friday.”
D
REWknew he shouldn’t, but he dragged his feet on the way home. It had been a bad week. Nay, it had been a fucking piss-poor week. He needed his uncle to come back home. Like, now . His mom just was not holding up. She called him a few days ago while he was in social studies—stressed, scared, and close to tears all because she’d burned her lunch, the mailman had posted a note through the door saying a package was waiting at a neighbor’s house for them, and telemarketers had called the house three times.
He’d skipped out of class and then school the next day. It wasn’t a severe brain disorder she had, she wasn’t dying, and she wasn’t a danger to herself or anyone else. She was just lonely and very easily unnerved. He knew that when things took such a turn, all that was required to set her back on an even keel was time and attention. Just a little time with someone she trusted, like her son or her brother, and soon enough all was well once more. Unfortunately, with his uncle away in the army, and with him attempting to finish high school, his mom sometimes faced lengthy periods of time with only the TV for company. And that made him feel guilty, it really did, but he’d hated standing Kieran up and had been at a loss as to how to get in contact with him. He was relieved that Kieran was okay now that they finally had managed to talk, but that didn’t really mean anything when he wasn’t even sure it wouldn’t happen again.
As if all that wasn’t enough, before he even got home to help his mother on Monday, his dad had called. Or rather, he called when he knew Drew would be at school and left a message. Drew was being blown off by his own dad, how pathetic was that? The anger this caused him was twofold, really. First, just hearing his father’s voice had upset his mother and probably contributed a great deal to her upset two days previous. It probably took just thirty seconds of his put-out, disinterested voice, and it weakened her. She shrank, and when he got home, Drew could see so plainly the heartache and pain that was still there, even after five years. Second, he hadn’t seen his dad in months, and was absolutely furious with himself for, however marginally, looking forward to this long-planned and previously postponed fishing weekend. Now it wasn’t happening at all, and he felt thirteen again, waiting by the phone for his father to give a damn and call.
He dug his hands deep into his pockets and sniffed sharply. He was determined to keep his shit together. Right now, all his mom had was him, and he wouldn’t let her down. Screw his dad. His uncle would be home soon, and everything would get better. Luckily, despite how potentially shitty all this had made him act toward Kieran, Kieran didn’t seem to be holding it against him. That easy forgiveness with the promise of something completely spine-tingling and disassociated with the rest of his life was exactly what he needed.
Oblivious to
Kieran deflated. He knew it was true. He’d heard Matt mention it only a minute ago; he was just so afraid of whatever it was they had between them burning out. “Friday?”
Drew seemed to mull it over, and just when Kieran was becoming desperate, he finally nodded his head. “Friday should be okay.” Kieran smiled. “Great.”
Drew laughed a little, probably at how infatuated he sounded, but Kieran didn’t care.
“Oh, hey, give me your cell.” Drew held out his hand.
“Um, okay.” He pulled his cell out and handed it over. He watched Drew tap at the screen, and then took it when handed back to him.
“Now you have my number. Text me later, if you want.” He shrugged in a way Kieran guessed was supposed to be flippant. “I will,” Kieran said, trying to not look as relieved and happy as he felt.
“Great. So… Friday, then.”
Drew nodded, wetting his lip, and smiled in a flat-out flirtatious way. “Friday.”
Kieran bit his lip and nodded. “Friday.”
D
REWknew he shouldn’t, but he dragged his feet on the way home. It had been a bad week. Nay, it had been a fucking piss-poor week. He needed his uncle to come back home. Like, now . His mom just was not holding up. She called him a few days ago while he was in social studies—stressed, scared, and close to tears all because she’d burned her lunch, the mailman had posted a note through the door saying a package was waiting at a neighbor’s house for them, and telemarketers had called the house three times.
He’d skipped out of class and then school the next day. It wasn’t a severe brain disorder she had, she wasn’t dying, and she wasn’t a danger to herself or anyone else. She was just lonely and very easily unnerved. He knew that when things took such a turn, all that was required to set her back on an even keel was time and attention. Just a little time with someone she trusted, like her son or her brother, and soon enough all was well once more. Unfortunately, with his uncle away in the army, and with him attempting to finish high school, his mom sometimes faced lengthy periods of time with only the TV for company. And that made him feel guilty, it really did, but he’d hated standing Kieran up and had been at a loss as to how to get in contact with him. He was relieved that Kieran was okay now that they finally had managed to talk, but that didn’t really mean anything when he wasn’t even sure it wouldn’t happen again.
As if all that wasn’t enough, before he even got home to help his mother on Monday, his dad had called. Or rather, he called when he knew Drew would be at school and left a message. Drew was being blown off by his own dad, how pathetic was that? The anger this caused him was twofold, really. First, just hearing his father’s voice had upset his mother and probably contributed a great deal to her upset two days previous. It probably took just thirty seconds of his put-out, disinterested voice, and it weakened her. She shrank, and when he got home, Drew could see so plainly the heartache and pain that was still there, even after five years. Second, he hadn’t seen his dad in months, and was absolutely furious with himself for, however marginally, looking forward to this long-planned and previously postponed fishing weekend. Now it wasn’t happening at all, and he felt thirteen again, waiting by the phone for his father to give a damn and call.
He dug his hands deep into his pockets and sniffed sharply. He was determined to keep his shit together. Right now, all his mom had was him, and he wouldn’t let her down. Screw his dad. His uncle would be home soon, and everything would get better. Luckily, despite how potentially shitty all this had made him act toward Kieran, Kieran didn’t seem to be holding it against him. That easy forgiveness with the promise of something completely spine-tingling and disassociated with the rest of his life was exactly what he needed.
Oblivious to
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