He reaches down and grabs his keys before holding them up and facing me. “Found them.”
He looks like he wants to bolt, and I know I should let him, but I don’t want that. The restaurant is nearly empty, probably because it’s a Wednesday, but I still glance around the room to make sure no one is paying attention. It’s clear no one is. Though it was clear Spencer wasn’t trying to hide that he was on a date with a man around Elijah and me—I’m not naive to the way things work in this town.
And I’m not so certain that he’s officially out. “You were on a date?” I mean it as a statement—an opening to a discussion—but it comes out like a question.
“Is that a problem for you, Mr. Mitchell?” Yup, it’s clear he’s still not feeling the whole friends thing. Despite him being kind to me at the school the other day, his guard is right back up.
“No. Why would it be?”
He scoffs at that and then starts to walk away, and something like panic washes over me. I reach out, grabbing his arm to stop him. He whirls around, fury in those brown, golden orbs. “What are you doing?”
I drop my hand. “Sorry. I just uh...” I look around the room again—still no eyes on us. Not even Elijah’s, who’s still occupied with his food.
“You just what? Want a chance to make fun of me? The poor, scrawny little gay boy?”
“W-what?” I rear back a little, shocked by the anger coming off him. Does he really think I’d care about that? That I’d make fun of him? “Why would I make fun of you for being on a date with a guy? There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“I know that.” He’s really heated. “But don’t you dare act like it’s fine with you and your little friends.”
“What friends?” I ask, totally dumbfounded. I had some good friends in Kansas City—all firemen—but since I moved back, it’s really just my brother who I hang out with now.
“Don’t,” he says, clearly flustered and looking around at the nearly empty room. “I don’t care what you think. I’ve moved past it, and I don’t need your approval.”
“Of course you don’t.” I’m totally lost, but it’s clear he’s upset. Really upset. I try to think back to school—going over every interaction we may have had. There weren’t a lot that I can recall, but I know I never once made fun of him for being gay. I didn’t even know he was.If I would have...
Nope. Don’t go there.
“Spencer...” I try, but he steps back away from me.
“Don’t, Kade. I’ve grown up. It took me a long time to get over the shit that happened in school, but I’m over it. And I don’t need you bringing it all back up.”
I raise my hands, still in shock. “I swear I don’t know what you mean. My friends in high school?” My stomach sinks as I realize that’s the friends he was talking about. “They gave you a hard time for being gay?”
“Don’t,” he says again and looks like a caged animal—desperate to be free. “Don’t you dare pretend you had no idea. I may have been invisible to you, but you had to have known the things your friends did.”
“I swear—” I start but quickly shut up when he gives me a sharp look.
“It doesn’t matter. None of it matters. I’m out and proud. And if you want to bring up the fact that I’m gay to the principal and start shit—” He moves closer to me now, standing toe-to-toe with me. “You go right ahead. I’m ready for that battle.”
“Spencer...” I say quietly but firmly. “I would never do that. They can’t fire you for being gay anyway. Not that I’d want that. What kind of asshole do you think I am?”
“The worst kind,” he says without hesitation, and then he spins around and walks out without another glance in my direction.
I feel like I’ve been kicked in the chest but finally force my gaze away from the door and make my way back to my son, who’s finally finished his food and is looking at me questioningly. “What did you do to Mr. Bell?”
“I have no idea,” I say honestly.
Because what the fuck just happened?
By the timeI get back to Bowen’s house with Elijah, I’m totally drained. I tuck him into bed and kiss him goodnight before heading into the living room to flip through channels on the television.
I’m completely lost about what Spencer was talking about. Is it possible that I bullied him somehow and don’t remember it? Our lives were shitty in high school—my siblings and mine. It was rough.
I barely remember high school, but I would remember that, wouldn’t I?
I’m still going over the past when my phone rings. I smile when I see it’s a video call from Tori and hit accept, smiling again when I see my sister’s happy face. “Kade, you’re alive.”
I snort. “Yes. I just talked to you last week.” The wordsyou’re alivehit me pretty hard a moment later though—reminding me of Elijah.
