Chapter 5

The light poured into James’ room, fand he woke up from his sleep. He checked his clock, it was 9 AM on Sunday, which meant he probably should get up. He heard his dad downstairs talking to his mum about why he believed teachers should be able to out children to their parents. It was a dumb law, and his dad’s only argument was, ‘it is the parent’s responsibility to teach their children why it was wrong’, but it still had large support. His mum didn’t say much but, James felt like he would be nodding away at what he said. He decided to lie in bed for another 5 minutes, which became 20 before he finally went downstairs and made himself some fried eggs and avocado for breakfast, while watching a video essay on Bojack Horseman.

He made some crumble for desert, so he would have something to look forward too. He enjoyed baking and he would always make sure to give Michael some of his food. Michael loved it, James was a great cook and baker, and often if Michael was sad, James would bring some brownies round to help cheer him up. However, except for that, James sat around a lot of the morning, he played a lot of chess as he was practising for a game after lunch with Michael.

Michael was also relaxing at home. He wanted to do something for James, but he couldn’t think of anything. He didn’t like how he was so hopeless at making romantic gestures of any sorts and would often end up being a bit clueless, but he didn’t care much because James liked it. He was so grateful that James could see all the best things in him, because for a long time Michael hated how uncomfortable he felt. With the people he grew up around he would have to act like he would do things that weren’t really him. But James loved him for those qualities and let him be the real him, for all his odd quirks and his occasional cluelessness. It felt like James had immediately seen through his act and fell in love with the person inside before Michael even knew who that person inside was.

Michael and his parents turned up around quarter to one. James took Michael straight up to his room and they played a game of chess, and for the first time ever, James won. He flung his arms around Michael, as Michael stared at the board in shock. “Good job I guess.” Sighed Michael, and they kissed and chatted about their celebrity crushes.

As they kissed again, James’ dad stormed into the room, almost ripping the door of its hinges in the process. His face was oozing with rage, and the other three parents were behind him. “What is this?” He shouted, whilst holding a phone with the picture posted on snapchat.

“It’s what it says.” Muttered James, after a moment of tangible silence. “Michael is my boyfriend.”

“I thought I raised you better than that. You’re my own son.” He violently spat.

“Jake calm down.” Said Michael’s mum pulling him back a bit. “Their probably just confused, they’ll get over it.” She stared at Michael with a tint of disappointment in her eyes and Michael died on the inside, but he just sat there. Shocked.

James’ mum started crying. “It’s just when it’s your own baby. It’s my fault. I should have hidden him from these things” She wept.

The two boys couldn’t believe it. They new it might be tough, but they never could guess it would be this bad. The people that had raised them, and ‘loved’ them all their lives, had just turned their back on their sons, because of their sexuality. It was as if they had forgotten everything about them and were characterising them as nothing but their sexuality. They both broke don and began to sob. They went down for lunch, which was loomed over by an atmosphere as gloomy as the darkest snow clouds in January. As they went upstairs, Michael’s dad looked at them, with an icy look in his face. “This is not the last you have heard of this. Do not deepen your sins further.”

They looked at each other and embraced, using one another’s shoulders to wipe away the tears of despair. “What happens now?” Asked James once the tears had run dry.

“Do we end it? Our lives I mean.” Muttered Michael.

“No.” Said James, with a determined tone in his voice. Like he wasn’t giving up at all costs.

“Well, what are we going to do then? Sit around. Get sent to a conversion camp?” Despaired Michael.

James paused and thought for a moment. He looked at Michael and after a couple of seconds he had an idea, and he looked at Michael with a gritty expression and spoke. “We’ll run away.”

“Where to? Nobody will look after us. I’m not going to a foster home. And our parents will file a missing person’s report and we’ll be found, and go into foster care, or end up back here in even more trouble.” Michael, seemed to be in the middle of another breakdown, and James put his arms on his shoulders and looked into his eyes.

“Look. They won’t search for us if we leave a note. We can go into the forest. We live in a national park. We can survive on our own for a while. Then once after a week or so when they’ve given up. We can go to somewhere like Birmingham. There will be homeless shelters and food banks there. We’ll find a way. Just don’t give up.” James was terrified as well as he said this, but he wanted to be strong for Michael, and he wanted to believe that they could survive.

“Fine.” Quivered Michael. “Guess it’s worth a shot.”

“Ok Michael.” James stayed holding onto Michael’s shoulders. “Go home. Pack a bag. Bring food and water as well, and only necessary clothes. The rest will have to stay behind. Then write a note. Bring a watch but leave your phone. I’ll bring a tent and sleeping bags, and everything will be ok. We’ll meet in the usual spot around 11:00”

“Thanks James. For not letting me give up.” And Michael held James in a warm embrace. Before leaving to spend his last sombre meal with his family.