The Dutch Boy [BxB]

T W E N T Y E I G H T

Theo missed school the next day too. I'd been texting him, but that was all the contact we'd had. The day after that, he only attended his afternoon lessons. On Friday, he came in for the whole day. He'd been absent at work too, retreating to the comforts of his own bedroom each day. His family weren't pushing him, it seemed they knew to slacken the rules around him whenever he was experiencing one of his episodes.

I wasn't sure how long it would last, but I hoped it would be over soon. Even his messages sounded sad. But at least he was taking it easy; napping constantly, dismissing his job and abandoning his schoolwork. I knew he'd push himself too far the second he was feeling better, trying to make up for his break. But, for now, he was doing okay.

I hadn't seen him much at school since he had been back, I'd merely passed him in the corridors and given him wholehearted smiles, earning a shy flash of joy in return. I was going over to his house tonight. We'd talked about it earlier in the week, but I wasn't sure he remembered. Either way, I needed to see him.

Just as I was finally leaving school after a long day of lessons, someone grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. I knew who it was immediately, drawing a sigh from between my lips. "What d'you want?" I drawled lazily, turning around to face Tommy's amber eyes, watching me curiously. I'd been avoiding my friends all week, sticking to the library in an attempt to get ahead on my homework. That was extremely unlike me, but I didn't care.

"Can we talk?"

"About?" I folded my arms over my chest confrontationally.

"You." He answered plainly. "Please?"

I let out a dramatically extended sigh and jerked my head in the direction of the car park. He followed me down the corridor, out of school and into my car. Once we were seated beside each other, I turned to face him, "What?" I asked gruffly.

"Were you just really desperate and there wasn't a girl around? Is that why you let him give you a blowjob?" He asked instantly, the words gushing out of his mouth so fast, they began tumbling over each other.

"No." I shot back bluntly. It would be easy to agree with him, deny that there was anything going on between Theo and I, but I was getting sick of lying. I wasn't ashamed, I wasn't scared of the truth anymore.

Tommy frowned, "So, like...you're...you're into it?"

"It?" I rose my brows quizzically.

"Boys." He whispered as if it was some massive secret - which, technically, it was. "Sex with boys."

"We haven't had sex yet." I said simply. "But yeah, I'd like to."

He was staring at me, completely dumbfounded, like I'd just grown a second head. "So, you two are like...like what you and Sam used to be?"

"No." I shook my head. "With Sam it was friends with benefits. Theo's my boyfriend."

If he didn't look utterly lost before, now he was completely puzzled. His face fell expressionless, his brows knitting together into a tight frown. "Your...your boyfriend?" He repeated. "You're gay?"

"Not gay." I corrected. "Apparently not straight either, but not gay."

"Bi?"

"I don't know, maybe."

"So...?"

"Does it matter?" I snapped. "I'm happy, Tommy."

"Do you love him?"

"I will." I assured him firmly. "I'm getting there."

He slumped back in his seat, his shoulders slackening as he stared blankly across the car park, watching cars rolling out of the lot and students milling about, wishing their friends a good weekend. "So, can we meet him? Like, properly?"