Preston dropped Grayson and I off at my house (I told my friends we are working on a school project), around two, thirty in the afternoon.Now Grayson and I are laying in my bed. I'm laying partly on my boyfriend. My head on his stomach, his fingers soothingly running through my hair as we soak up each other's presence.

"So your birthday..." my boyfriend starts off.

"What about my birthday?" I question even though I know where he's going with this.

"Baby, why didn't you tell me it was coming up?" He asks me in a pouty voice. "I don't even know the date."

I roll my eyes. "It's really not a big deal. Preston just likes to make everything a big deal. And I didn't want you to think you have to get me a gift or whatever."

"Of course I'm going to get you a gift and of course your birthday is a big deal. When is it?"

"February seventeenth," I tell him. "And you never told me yours."

"Well, mine isn't coming up anytime soon. August seventh," he says anyway. "And you better mark that date on your calendar cause my birthday is a big deal," he proclaims confidently.

I snort and roll my eyes.

Grayson nudges me to look at him, "My birthday is more important than Jesus' birthday."

Chuckling, I say "God would beg a differ. But I suppose you're deserving of having your birthday celebrated," I jest with a teasing smile.

My smile fades when I think about how far away August seventh is. "That's six months away. A lot can happen in six months. We'll be graduated and starting college," I'm unintentionally talking faster as I go. "What if we don't go to the same college and the distance is too much for us. You'll find someone hotter than me and I'll have to-"

"Reid!" Grayson sits up, giving me no choice but to do so as well. "Take a deep breath. I don't know what the future is going to be like for us, and I'm not naïve to think going to separate colleges won't be a challenge. But you don't have to worry about that right now," he cups my face with his big hands. "Just be here with me. And from the wise words of Troy Bolton; tomorrow can wait for some other day to be..." he raises his eyebrows as if wanting me to continue.

"'But right now there's you and me'" I quote in a dry tone while rolling my eyes, but I feel more at ease.

"Exactly. I'm so glad you knew those lyrics. I was worried for a second."

"The only reason I do is because of Angie," I explain.

"Sure," he says sarcastically. "Ya' know, Troy Bolton is how I realized I'm gay."

I laugh and push him playfully, "you're an idiot. Out of all the actors?"

Grayson chuckles, "yes! Of course. Who else? In fact, it would be really hot if you started singing some songs from High School Musical. Specifically Senior Year."

"No way in hell would I ever do that for you," I deadpan then switch to a sweeter tone, "But I can think of a more productive way I could put my mouth into use..." we lay back down and I lean in, looking down at his lips then back up at into his dreamy eyes. I pause.

"Well, are you going to show me this productive way?" My boyfriend asks in a hushed whisper.

I grin and nod slightly before going in to kiss him.

My bedroom door swings open and I quickly back off of Grayson. I sigh in relief when it's just my brother then feel annoyed that it's my brother. "Woah, was I interrupting something?" Peter asks with his eyebrows wiggling.

"Knock!" I exclaim right as Grayson says, "yes, you were."

"You'll get over it," my brother says to me or Grayson, I'm not too sure. "Just be lucky mom and dad didn't walk in."

I sigh and rub my temples. "They're not even home," I say looking back at Peter.

"Where are they?" Grayson asks.

I shrug, "at work and don't ask me what they do cause I have no clue." Then I turn and glare at my younger brother, "and you weren't supposed to be home either."

"Hey, this is my house too," Peter say matter-of-factly. "And I don't like that tone you're giving me," he crosses his arms over his chest as if he's our mother. I scoff. "Anyway, I came in here to get the keys from you cause I'm going to a friend's house tonight and need the car."

"No," I say firmly.

"No? That car is both of ours."

"I'm older, so it's technically more mine than yours. And I'm going to Grayson's tonight so I need it," I tell him.

"Reid," Peter states pointedly as if emphasizing my name like that will change my argument.

"Peter." I say with the same emphasis.

"Oh, come on. Grayson has a car. Can't I just drop you guys off at his house and then I take it for the night?" My brother offers.

I contemplate this. Obviously, it's a good compromise, but do I want to give into my brother? No, I prefer being stubborn and petty. But before I can decline his offer, Grayson cuts me off.

"Baby, give him the car. I can drive us tomorrow, it's not a big deal."

I scoff and give a mock appalled facial expression to Grayson for not taking my side.

"Yeah, listen to your boyfriend."

"Ugh, fine. I'll text you when we're ready to go so you don't need to barge into my room later."

"You're dramatic," my brother declares then walks out.

"Shut the door!" I shout at him, but he sends me the finger and walks into his bedroom across the hall.

I groan as I get up from the comfort of Grayson to go shut my bedroom door. Returning to the bed, Grayson scoots over with his arms out indicating for me to snuggle up close to him. I gladly lay against my boyfriend and drag my laptop closes to us. "Movie?" I offer.

"Only if I pick," Grayson states, then pulls the laptop closer to him.

I scoff, "no way. You're going to pick something cheesy and gross."

"pfft, I would never," he says in a sarcastic tone.

After twenty minutes of debating who gets to pick what movie, Grayson won and now we're watching Twilight.

"That was horrible," I tell Grayson once the movie finishes.

"Yeah, but also amazing!" My boyfriend claims. Grayson is leaning against my headboard while I'm leaning against his chest with his arm wrapped around me. My duvet is coving our legs with my laptop on top of Grayson's lap.

I chuckle and look up at him, "No, just horrible. I can't believe I allowed that movie to stream through my laptop."

"You won't feel that way after the next four."

"The next four?! No, hell no." I say stubbornly shaking my head. I perk up when I hear a car pull into the driveway and get out of bed (crawling over Grayson in the process).

"Oh! My parents and Angie are home!" I turn to my beautiful boyfriend "You ready to be heterosexual?" I half joke.

He groans, but gets up nonetheless. "You're lucky I like you."

I frown slightly at that sentence, but I don't think Grayson catches it. I want him to tell me he loves me, not likes me. I almost want to throw up at the word like. Doesn't he feel what I feel when we're together? Cause what I feel for Grayson is too intense, I could never describe it as 'like'.

It was just a silly sentence, Reid. It doesn't mean Grayson won't say he loves you too after you tell him you love him.

That's right, I plan on telling Grayson 'I love you' tonight when we're at his place. I don't think I can hold it in much longer, but I'm also scared I'm going to ruin it somehow.

Grayson and I head down stairs. Angie is already talking Peter's ear off about a new princess movie she watched in daycare. We both say 'hi' to my little sister real fast before we venture into the kitchen where my parents are starting to cook dinner.

"Mom, dad," My parents turn around and greet me with a smile (a 'hi Sweetie' from my mom) then look at my boyfriend. "this is Grayson," I introduce them with a warm smile. Grayson has been at my house numerous times before, but was never formally introduced to my parents so I am extremely excited and nervous for us all to have dinner together. "I was thinking he could have dinner with us tonight."

My dad looks Grayson up and down, then gives my mom weird look before grunting something and turning back to the stove. The excitement in me wears off as if it were a light going out. Nervousness is all I'm left with.

"Sweetheat," my mom speaks to me, "can I talk to you for minute?" My mom ask me while nudging her head in the direction of the hallway.

"Uh," I look at Grayson. He shrugs. I turn back to my mom. " Yeah. Sure." I follow her down the hallway and into her home office. "What's up?" I inquiry, my hands visibly shake, so I shove them in my pockets.

"I don't really like this 'Grayson' guy," My mother tells me bluntly.

My heart sinks to the bottom of my stomach. "Wha-? You- you don't even know him."

"Reid, I think he might be a homosexual." My eyes instinctively widen in horror. Not because of my mom's accurate assumption, but because of how utterly disgusted my mother looks while she say it. My mom, however takes my expression in a different way. "I know that's hard to hear," she continues, "and I know he's your friend, but your father and I don't think it's appropriate for him to stay for dinner." She gives me an apologetic smile that makes me want to throw up.

What the fuck? Dad didn't even speak! "Wha-" I'm so stunned, I'm not even sure how to respond. When I do, I stutter like a fool. "I- I don't understand. Why? Why can't he? how w- wou- would you even know? He's- he's- Grayson's not-"

"Sweetie, I can tell just by lookin' at him. Frankly, I should've told ya' this the first time he came 'round, but I really don't feel right 'bout you two hanging out here alone while your father and I are gone. We just don't want him to take advantage of you or influence you in anyway."

My jaw drops to the ground. I can't believe my mother is saying this to me.

My mom sighs, then tells me, "Listen, your father and I can't control who you hang out with at school, but please don't bring Grayson here. I know you're old enough to know right from wrong, but we can't have that... lifestyle rubbing off on your little brother or sister."

Don't cry, Reid, don't cry.

I bite my tongue to keep the tears from coming. After a second of holding myself together, I try to speak. "Um I'm going to-" my voice breaks. I clear my throat and continue, "I'm going to drop him off at home then spend the night at Preston's," I inform my mother without looking at her. I need to leave right now.

"I think that's best," she tells me. I go to walk out of the office then stop when my mom says, "And Reid?" I turn back to her, but still don't meet her line of sight. "Just try to distance yourself from him at school."

I give a short nod and walk out.

Hold it together, Reid. Just wait till you're in the car.

Grayson isn't in the kitchen when I return. Instead, I find him telling knock-knock jokes to Angie and Peter. He stops mid joke when his eyes catch mine. "Hey, are you alright?" Grayson asks me, his tone and expression both filled with concern.

"Yeah. Let's go." I tell him curtly then turn to Peter. "If you're taking the car, then we're going now."

"uh," my brother glances at Grayson, looking equally worried. "yeah, okay."

I grab my over-night bag that I had packed earlier and left at the bottom of the stairs, and walk outside. Grayson's at my heels.

"Reid, slow down. What just happened?"

I shake my head, signaling I can't speak right now. My throat feels like it's closing up. My gut is twisting and turning in the most uncomfortable way imaginable. I get to the car and sit in the passenger seat. Grayson gets in the back, but leans forward to be closer to me. "You're really scaring me. Please talk to me. What'd your mom say?"

I don't reply again because I can't. If I do, I'll break down right here in this car. Grayson doesn't seem offended by my lack of response and leans back against his seat.

Peter finally comes out of the house with the car keys in hand and his own over-night bag in the other. He hops into the driver seat, "Sorry, I had to tell them that I was taking the car for the night."

We finally are off, headed to Grayson's- my boyfriend giving directions on how to get to his house- and I still haven't spoken a word. I couldn't stop reliving the horrid conversation; 'we can't have that lifestyle rubbing off on your little brother or sister.'

Oh, God! I'm never going to be able to come out! She was so disgusted. And my father couldn't even talk to Grayson? neither of my parents could! Homophobic or not, that's just fucking rude!

Peter glances at me then back at the road. "Reid? You don't look too good."

"Baby, talk to me," Grayson pleads in a hushed tone.

'We just don't want him to take advantage of you or influence you in anyway'

"Pull over," I demand in a rush as I unbuckle my seatbelt.

"What?" Peter starts to question then sees me cover my mouth with my hand. "Oh, shit." the car is quickly pulled to the side of the road and before it's even fully parked, I jump out onto the grass, and vomit all over the ground. I'm bent over with my hands on my knees and throwing up every last bit of food I had today.

Grayson is by my side in seconds and rubbing my back.

"Jesus, that's disgusting!" Peter exclaims as I throw up some more. It's just after sunset so even if people were out, no one was close enough to witness this embarrassing moment. "I'm sorry, bro, I can't watch this."

"Then turn around, dumbass," Grayson tells him to which my brother complies.

At this point I'm just dry heaving cause there's nothing more for me to retch up. I swipe the back of my hand over my mouth and stand up. I turn to Grayson, "My mom, she- she told me you can't come over anymore cause you'll 'rub off' on Peter and Angie and that I need to distance myself from you," I explain to him, not bothering with the tears in my eyes.

"What?!" Peter shouts angrily. "Are you fucking kidding me?!" but I'm only concerned with what Grayson's going to say.

"Shit, Reid, I'm sorry," Grayson tells me genuinely as his hands rub up and down my arms.

"You? I'm sorry! That's so fucked up! They didn't even want you over for dinner! They couldn't even talk to you! Fuck! I'm never going to be able to come out," now I'm sobbing and am pulled into Grayson's body. He hugs me tightly with a hand on my head and the other on my back.

"You don't need to apologize for anything. None of this is your fault," Grayson says firmly.

"Yeah!" Peter agrees with a shout.

Grayson continues, but this time in a low whisper for only me to hear. "Please don't believe in what your mother told you. Me being gay and you being gay is not a sin." He kisses the side of my head. "You know that," Grayson pulls back, his hands cupping my face, and looks me in the eyes, "Right?" I nod solemnly as his thumbs swipe my tears away. "okay," he places a chaste kiss on my nose. "Let's go to my place and you can tell me everything there."

I nod and let him take my hand and bring us to the back seat. Grayson has his arm wrapped around me the entire ride to his house.

Before Peter drops us off, he tells me everything will be okay and that our parents will come around to the idea of their son being gay. "It's just going to take some time," Peter had told me before saying he loved me and driving off.

Unfortunately, time didn't seem to be in mine and Grayson's favor.