Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Guess who haven't had enough sleep because he spoke with his boyfriend over the phone like a love-struck teenager that lasted for hours. Yes, it's me. Wyatt and I spoke for hours and neither one of us dropped the call. We talked about our high school life and how he plans to come out to his mom. I assured him that everything's going smooth and as planned, and it's alright to be nervous. Coming out isn't supposed to be a fairy tale. It's actually a mixed feeling. And when a person comes out or if he or she plans to, it's alright for them to feel nervous, happy, excited, sad, or worried.

By the tone of his voice, I knew he was shitless scared. But as he talked and spoke, his brave side was coming out. He was becoming confident and his voice wasn't wavering. Besides his good looks, his bravery is one of the things that I really admire. Strong people can be weak, and weak people can be strong. And Wyatt? He's in between, and it's alright.

Last night felt like forever. Wyatt's voice was music to my ears as he spoke and told me crazy stuff about his childhood and I just listened the whole time, until we both fell asleep and neither of us hung up. This morning, I heard his light snores through the phone and it made me smile. I didn't hang up still. I went to the bathroom to splash water on my face and brush my teeth, and when I came back to my bedroom, Wyatt was now awake and asking if I was awake. I told him yes, and then he greeted me good morning. He was just on the other line but it felt like he was beside me, and it made my heart flutter giddily. It's a feeling I want to cherish forever. I told him that we could hang up the call now so he could focus on what he would like to do today, and he asked me if I wanted to come there and have a lunch with them. I told him yes. After that, we hung up the call.

"You look tired," my mom comments as she puts a sunny side up egg on my plate.

I look at mom with an arched brow, and she rolls her eyes.

"Wyatt must have kept you awake all night,"

"Moooom," I whine, shaking my head.

Dad lets out a cough and sips his hot chocolate as he scrolls through his tablet to read some news. Mom grabs a bread, slices it in half, and places it on dad's plate. Dad grabs the sliced bread and dips it into his hot chocolate before munching on it. Mom lets out a knowing grin before taking a seat and ignoring my deathly look. We eat in silence, but my parents keep throwing me side glances. I know they want to know the update between me and Wyatt, but I won't give them that. Mom likes to pry about my love life, and she won't stop unless I tell her. Even my dad.

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I quickly fish it out and open the text message Wyatt sent me. It reads: Mom is already preparing here, cooking. I told her you're coming, and she's been excited ever since. I miss you. The last part of the message touches my heart and a wide smile tugs on my lips. I send a reply, telling him that I miss him too and that I'll see him this afternoon, and when I look up, my parents are looking at me with a knowing look. I immediately drop my happy smile and put a poker face on. Mom arches a brow at me. I grab a bread, slice it, and stuff the sunny side up egg inside.

"Spilleth the tea."

"Mom, don't go Shakespeare on me."

"Spilleth the tea." Dad joins mom and I groan out loud, shaking my head. Dad has stopped paying attention on the news opened in his tablet, and mom puts her hand on her lap, looking at me expectantly.

I let out a groan again. "Okay, okay." I roll my eyes at the both of them. "Wyatt invited me to have lunch with him and his mother, and I agreed. And he just texted me that his mom is excited to see me. That's all."

"Damn it," my dad mutters.

Mom lets out a smirk and opens her palm. Dad hands her fifty dollar. I look at them, confused. Dad hesitantly gives mom the money, and mom counts it one by one. Dad rolls his eyes and continues reading the news on his tablet.

"What's that?"

"That's a huge move, Pierce." Mom says as she puts the money in her pocket. "Honey, want to bet again that the next time we see him, they're already engaged?"

"Mom!"

"I'm betting another fifty bucks that the next time we see them, they're now living together." Dad declares as mom agrees at the bet. I run a hand on my face, unable to believe that they are placing bets about what's going on with my life. Nice parents, I have. "Or what if they make us grandparents?"

"Dad! Are you serious right now?" I shake my head and roll my eyes at the both of them.

My parents laugh at my expression and I sigh in exasperation. Constant teasing. That's another thing my parents always like to do to me. I mean, it gets funny sometimes, but not always. But I'm happy to see how everything is in its place. I'm with my parents, sharing a moment with them, and Wyatt is now my boyfriend, and my friends are happy. For that I'm glad. I look at my parents for a moment and relief floods my senses that I'm actually here, that I'm happy, and that I don't have to worry about anything. I could think about what would be Mia's reaction later, but this moment is mine. It's selfish, but aren't we all?

After the breakfast we shared together, my phone buzzes and I hastily pick my phone out of my pocket. My parents just left the kitchen and the plates we used are in the sink, waiting to be washed by me. The text comes from my best friend and I try to hide the disappointment morphing on my face. Is it unbelieve that I just want to talk to Wyatt right now? Or at every minute of every hour every day?

Melody is asking me if I'm fine and that she misses me. She has also given me an update that everything's going fine with her and she's happy that Wyatt has taken them home. I smile at her message. Despite the reason that she doesn't really like Wyatt much, she's been thankful of him and isn't afraid to show it. That's just the way Melody is. I reply that I'm okay and give her an update about what happened after the reunion, excluding the part where Wyatt and I got together as boyfriends. Of course I'll her soon, but not now. I know everyone deserves the truth, but I respect Wyatt's choices. He's not exactly out yet. He hasn't even told his mom yet. So not until his mom and Mia know, I'll keep my mouth shut. Wyatt will let me know if he's okay with letting everyone know about our relationship.

Once the text has been sent, my phone immediately rings and Wyatt's name pops up, flashing in the screen, his name in bold letters. My heart pounds hard against my rib cage. I hastily slide my finger across the screen to answer his call, and put the phone over my ear.

"Hi," I say rather breathlessly.

Wyatt lets out a chuckle, aware that he has this effect on me where I become breathless every time he talks to me or does things to me. I purse my lips, waiting for him to say anything, but his calm breathing is the only that can be heard, which I don't mind. I listen to his breathing and shut my eyes, my heart still beating hard against my chest.

"I just miss you." He finally responds and I open my eyes and a grin breaks into my lips.

"We just dropped our call almost two hours ago." I say shyly. "Not that I mind you calling me. It's just... I've been dying to hear your voice again." Admitting it out loud is really not my thing, but then again, I'm breaking a lot of things just to be with Wyatt.

"So I can call you whenever I like?" There's a hopeful tone in his voice.

"You can. Always."

"Then I'll call you always then." He chuckles and my heart swells with happiness. "I called to let you know that our flight is around 5 in the morning tomorrow. I'll come get you and your friends. Also, I wanted to hear your voice too. I just missed you so much. I'm going to tell mom this afternoon. I wish you could come here."

"I can be there if you want."

"I want you to be here with me when I tell my mom, but I want to talk to her alone."

"Let me know how that goes, okay?"

"Okay."

"See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow... boyfriend." I let the world roll out of my mouth and it feels damn great to call him my boyfriend. I blush and suppress a smile despite the fact that he can't see me. Wyatt chuckles. "And oh..."

"Oh what?"

"I miss you too." Before he replies, I hang up the phone call and put the phone on my still beating heart. I can't believe I'm being a sappy teenager. My phone rings again and I answer it without checking the name who's calling me, as I already know who it's going to be. "What now?"

"How dare you hung up the call on your boss after telling me you missed me?" he asks playfully and I roll my eyes. I turn around and see my mom standing near the doorway to the kitchen and I glare at them. They have a smug look on their face and a grin tugged on their lips as they both watch me.

Motioning them to go away, mom grabs dad's hand and they both head to the living room and I sigh in relief. My parents can be really intruders when they want to. I know they still want details, but I'm not going to tell them everything. They already know that I'm dating Wyatt, the bully I complained about when I was in high school. And they're happy to know that I'm happy, but they'd be happier if I tell them literally everything. I can't do that.

"Are you still there?"

"Yeah. My parents were just being a pain in the ass. Eavesdropping on me." I mutter. Wyatt laughs and I blow my cheeks. "It's not funny."

"No, it isn't." But he still continues to laugh gently.

We talk for a while, telling how our morning went. I told him about how my mom went Shakespeare on me as she told me to "spilleth the tea" to her, and I earn a laugh from Wyatt. It's weird to hear my mom speaking in weird, cringe-worthy English accent. Just remembering it is enough to send shiver down my spine. Wyatt tells me he had sunny side-up and bacon as his breakfast, and his mom is going to cook his favorite foods today and that he's planning to just straight tell her about me and him dating.

I'm not going to lie. I can hear the fear in his voice, but we both know that his mom is going to accept him the way he is, for what he is. The woman was basically dropping hints when I was at their house. Wyatt was just being oblivious. His mom is fully aware that a girl isn't someone he needs in his life but a man... but me. Maybe.

Just the thought of that is enough to make me break into a full grin. Wyatt has been in a special place in my head and, I just realized, in my heart too. Maybe I've been too preoccupied to think that he was just a meanie that liked to bully people in high school, where he felt superior. Maybe it was because I thought he hated my guts and hated gays and all that shit and I was so upset about that. Why couldn't he just let me be the way I was?

Now I know the reasons why he acted like a piece of shit. Sure it doesn't excuse what he has done in the past, but at least there's a reason. I can guarantee that he's not a psycho who just wants to hurt people for pleasure. When we're upset, our thoughts are cloudy and hazy. We always say things we don't mean, and we act without thinking. That's what happened to Wyatt. He was lost, and as far as I know, those people who are lost need to be found. And I found him. I'm glad I found him.

"I'm going to admit something to you..."

"Is this the part where you're going to dump me and tell me you want lady parts now?"

He laughs. "No, don't assume things."

"What is it?"

"I've been touching your stuff..." I furrow my brows in confusion. I look around the house and find everything organized. I don't know why I did that. "I know there is a terrible distance between us. But our bodies are made of stardust, and we are hurtling through space and time, toward the most beautiful collision. Lang Leav. The Universe of Us. I've been reading it. I've always loved that quote. I can't wait to see you tomorrow."

Taking a seat on the chair in the kitchen, I flush when he mentions the book I bought. Well, Kevin and I bought. I haven't read everything yet, but I know it's perfect. Lang's words mean everything, and her words let you feel whatever she wrote in every page of that book. And I've read that part, and now that he's saying it to me, I'm thinking... we've already collided, and it was beautiful.

"And there's also another quote in there that I really, really love saying. It's in my head, embedded there. And it all points to you. It was all I wanted for the longest time – to open my eyes and see you there. To stretch out my hand and touch the soft, yielding warmth of your skin. But now I have learned the secret of distance. Now I know being close to you was never about proximity. I miss you a lot, you have no idea, but at the same time, I know you're just there, waiting, your arms open. Waiting for me."

I remain quiet, not knowing what to really say in this moment. I'm just speechless. I haven't even gotten to that part yet. He's been reading the book, and he's saying it to me out loud, with emotions all over the place. My heart squeezes tight and I shut my eyes. I'm a mess right now. I want to cry and tell him he can go fuck himself for messing me up, but at the same time, I just want to hug him tight and never let him go. I want to be in his arms, safe and sound, as he murmurs words in my ears about how we are perfect for each other, that we've come this far to be together. A beautiful collision.

"I'm going to go. Mom is calling me already. She said hi by the way."

"Wyatt, wait."

"Yes?"

"I'm really glad you've become part of my life."

"Me too."

"The second I tried to tell myself I wasn't in love was the moment I realized I was. See you tomorrow."

I hang up the call again and set my phone on silent. I'm really not sure why I said that. Maybe it's just a spur of the moment. It couldn't be. What the hell was I thinking? Why did I say that? My phone, though it's not ringing, is flashing brightly, his name popping up. I purse my lips and stand up, ignoring the call. I can't believe I just said that. It was so random, all of a sudden, and I'm freaking out right now. Maybe he's freaking out too. We just got together and I basically said I'm in love with him.

Fuck my life.

My phone buzzes in silent a couple of times before the screen dies out and I sigh in relief. I can't talk to him right now, not after what I said. I can't believe I just messed up my newfound relationship with him. I didn't mean to ruin anything. It was just... fuck Lang Leav and her poetry.

Grabbing my phone, I run upstairs to my room and throw myself in my bed, planting my face in the pillow and I let out a scream. I turn off my phone in case he decides to call me again.

I stay in my room until the sun goes down and the moon lights up Texas. Wyatt never showed up today. I guess he's been thinking a lot. It's okay if he's freaking out, however, I don't think I can bear if he breaks up with me. We just got together and though I'm past Britney Spear's record of breaking with his other half after they got married, I don't want mine to be second after hers. Okay, so we're not married, but we're together, and it counts.

That night I can't sleep well. Wyatt has been inside my head, torturing me. I keep asking questions to myself. How is he? Is he doing okay? What was his reaction when he heard what I said?

Suddenly, I have a thought popped inside my head: I don't want to go back to Brooklyn.