Trick or Treat Chapter 5 (Patreon)

All characters engaged in sexual activity are 18 or older.

Asher

Disappointed. That’s the only thing Dad said to me while he spoke to Principal Harris. I’m disappointed in you, son. After that, he couldn’t even look at me while Principal Harris explained to him why I got into a fight. But I could tell what he was thinking. I could see it in the way he clenched his jaw and tightened his shoulders. It didn’t matter to him that I was standing up for my best friend. All he heard were the words gay and Percy. All he could think about was how I’m friends with a sinner. 

I can see him still mulling it over in his head as we walk out of Principal Harris’s office, past where Percy’s still sitting waiting for his mom to show up. He gives me a little wave and mouths sorry before looking away awkwardly when my dad levels a glare that could kill in his direction. 

“I just want to know one thing,” Dad says when we finally get into the car. He’s staring at me, with cold, blue eyes like he’s trying to read my mind. It’s a good thing he can’t because then he would know everything. And if he knew everything, it would ruin me—it would ruin our family. “How long have you known that boy is gay?”

I blink at him. That’s not the question I was expecting him to ask me. “Uh… I didn’t—I mean, I just found out today.” 

Dad nods, looking pleased. “Good.” He pulls out of the parking lot and starts driving to go back home. 

That’s it? Where’s the lecture? Where’s the yelling about me getting into a fight? Where’s the complaining about how I embarrassed him? I thought for sure that he would have at least said something about me getting suspended from school for a week. Instead, he silently drives through neighborhoods like it’s any other day. It isn’t until we’re parked in our driveway that he looks back at me. “Asher.” My heart stutters at the tone in his voice. “I know you were trying to help your friend, and that’s a good thing. But you can’t be friends with Percy anymore.” 

I’m pretty sure my heart just flatlined. There is no way he just said what he said. “Dad—”

He raises a hand to silence me. “No, Asher. I understand that he’s been your friend for a very long time, but he’s been lying to you. He’s been living in sin for God knows how long, doing God knows what. That’s not the type of person you want to be friends with. You have a reputation to uphold, values to follow, a career in football that’s waiting for you. You can’t do that if you’re friends with someone like him.”

“Dad!” I snap, my tone harsher than I intended it to be. “I’m not going to stop being friends with Percy just because he’s gay. He’s my best friend! I’ve known him since I was five years old. You’ve known him since he was five years old. For God’s sake, we’ve gone to Disney with his family more times than I can remember. I can’t just throw away a friendship like that.”

Dad looks at me with surprise, which quickly turns to an icy stare. “I see,” he says, in a deceptively calm voice. “So you’re going to follow your brother’s path? Because you know what will happen if that’s what you choose to do.”

My stomach roils at the mention of Matthew. Years of arguments between him and my parents flash through my mind. Years of feeling like my world was about to implode until it actually did come back in a wave that makes me nauseous. But memories of Percy comforting me through those years also come to mind. Percy was the only one who was really there for me when it all fell apart. He’s the only one who helped me when I needed it the most. Just like he needs me now. 

Dad doesn’t need to spell it out. Just bringing up Matthew is enough of a threat on his part. He loves to preach the gospel, but sometimes it feels like he’s forgotten the real meaning of it all. There’s no point in trying to fight him on this, but it doesn’t mean that I’m going to listen to him either. So I nod and tell him what he wants to hear, “Alright, Dad, I won’t be friends with Percy anymore.” 

Dad smiles and pats my shoulder. “There’s my son. Keep your faith with you, and you’ll always make the right decision.”

###

Two hours later, I’m riding my bike to Percy’s mom’s house after he texted me that she finally showed up to the school. Thankfully, Dad went back to church, and Mom went with him, giving me a few hours of freedom before they’re back. 

I park my bike on the side of the garage, toss the plastic bags of costumes over the wooden fence, and hop it using the ledge on the side of the house. I land on my feet and make my way to the back, pass the pool, and knock on the pool house door. It opens to reveal Percy standing there in a black tank top and gray sweatpants that hang low on his hips. His black hair is damp from a shower, and the sad smile he shoots me has my heart sinking to my stomach. Normally, Percy lights up whenever he sees me, but his red-rimmed eyes give it away. 

He’s been crying. 

“Hey,” I say, stepping inside the pool house he’s commandeered as his bedroom. He’s been living in here ever since he turned sixteen, turning it into his own little piece of paradise. Apparently, it had taken his mom an entire week to notice that he’d moved all his stuff out of his room, and when she finally found out that he’d moved in here, she just shrugged and went back to watching TV and drinking wine. 

“Hey.” He pulls me into a tight hug. I drop the bags and wrap my arms around him, engulfing his skinny frame. He buries his face in the crook of my neck, his body shaking as gut-wrenching sobs tear at my soul. I hold him tighter and rub his back, wishing I could take away the pain. “I’m so sorry, Ash,” he gasps before dissolving into more tears. 

“Hey, it’s okay.” I pull back a little so that he can see my face. “You have nothing to be sorry for. It’s that asshole Luke who should be sorry, not you.” Percy nods and buries his face in the crook of my neck again, and we stand there, arms wrapped around each other until he finally calms down. 

“Sorry,” he hiccups. “I got your shirt all wet.” 

I shake my head with a smile and wipe lingering tears from his face with the pads of my thumbs. “Don’t worry about it.” I pull him by his wrist over to the bed. “Come, sit. Let me get you some water.” I dig through the mini-fridge he has in one corner and hand him a bottle, taking one for myself before sitting next to him. “How did your mom take it?”

Percy shrugs while playing with the label on the bottle, not making eye contact. “She was a little surprised about me being gay, but she didn’t really make a big deal about it. She didn’t even ground me for getting into a fight.” Relief fills my bones, but it’s gone just as quickly when he keeps going. “But she told my dad everything, and he told her he didn’t want me to live with him anymore.” 

“What?” I say sharply. “Why the hell not?” 

He finally looks up at me, the emotions still raw on his face. “He told her that he didn’t want some queer living in his house… My mom went over there to get my stuff.” 

I pull him into another hug. “Oh, Percy. I’m so sorry.” 

He shakes his head and purses his lips. “It’s fine. Considering he goes to church every Sunday, I should have known that he wouldn’t be okay with me being gay.” He cringes the moment the words leave his mouth. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.” 

“It’s okay. You’re not wrong about that.” His eyes widen, so I quickly add, “But you don’t have to worry about that with me, Percy. Like I told you before, I’ll always have your back.” 

He smiles, looking relieved. “So how did your parents take it?”

Now, it’s my turn to cringe. “He, uh—my dad doesn’t want me to be friends with you anymore,” I mumble. “But I don’t care. I’m not abandoning you, no matter what he says. We’ll just have to hang out here instead of at my house.” 

“Ash—”

“I’m serious, Percy. Don’t worry about it. I’m not going anywhere, and nothing will change that. You’re my best friend. I… I love you.” 

He swallows audibly, his gaze dropping to my lips while mine drops to his. “I love you too,” he whispers. 

Those four little words shouldn’t be a big deal. After all, we’ve said that to each other lots of times before. But this feels different. After everything we’ve been through over the past two days, everything feels different. 

But I still surprise myself when I lean in and kiss him.