Lockers and Boxers (boyxboy)

Chapter VII - Too Good

Ring. Ring. I wake up confused and disoriented. Gabe is asleep under me, and I suddenly recall the past few hours. Ring. Ring. Fuck. I stumble out of Gabe's bed and shuffle my feet, feeling around for my phone. Finally, I find it and answer the call.

"Where are you?" My mom shrieks.

"I'm still at Gabe's."

"Jake Wright! It is 8:35 p.m.! I told you to be back here by eight o'clock." My fuzzy brain tries to understand why she is so angry.

"I'm... sorry?"

"You need to get back home this instant. I am sick and tired of your insolence." She hangs up the call. I groan and lightly tap Gabe. "Hey, Gabe. I have to get going."

"Why?" He squints, still waking from our nap. "Please stay a little longer." I consider his request. I mean, my mom is already pissed. Staying a few minutes longer won't make her that mad.

I lay back down and cocoon my body around his. I take a moment to appreciate him. I feel his skin, run my fingers through his hair, and smell him so my senses won't forget him. I take Gabe in until my phone buzzes. Unsurprisingly, it is a text from my mom, "Are you on your way?" I text back, "yes."

"Ok, I really have to go this time, Gabe." I gently poke his stomach. He groans as he slowly sits up.

"Alright," he says, dejected. He plants a light kiss on my lips. "See you tomorrow?"

"Of course," I answer.

...

"You are grounded!" My mom screams as soon as I walk through the front door.

"Forgive me for asking," I start, knowing I will only make her more angry, "But why?"

"Why? Why!? You purposely disobeyed your curfew. You know how much I worry. That's why you have a curfew!"

"Mom, I know you worry, but an eight PM curfew is kind of over-the-top. I'm 17. No one else my age has to come home that early. I just wanted to see my friend."

"Do not talk back to me!" Tears start streaming down her face, a defense mechanism so she can get away with saying anything. "No more hanging out with this 'friend.' You will come directly home after school and stay here."

"But-" I start.

"No buts! Now go to your room." I suppress a groan and walk to my room. No matter what I do, my mom will be upset with me. Last month, she was agitated because I didn't leave the house enough, but now I leave too much. She gets mad when I have to spend a lot of time on homework or projects because "she hardly ever sees me anymore," but then screams at me when my grades drop after I try to spend more time with her. There's no balance with my mom.

...

"So, yeah, now I'm grounded," I explain as Gabe and I walk to the gym.

"That's bullshit. Your mom really expects you to be home by eight PM. Sorry that I kept you behind."

"It's not your fault," I assure Gabe. "Even if I got back on time, she would have found an excuse to be mad. It's just how it is."

"I'm going to miss hanging out." Gabe looks up to the ceiling, thinking. "After P.E., let's eat lunch together."

"I mean, that sounds nice, but what about Marcus and your other friends?"

"They won't notice that I'm gone. Plus, I know a place." Before I can question what he means by "a place," I get distracted by Coach Bayleigh's grinding voice.

"Boys! Why are you here so late? You've only got two minutes to get changed." She scowls at us. "I expect more from you, Gabe. You too," she pauses for a moment, "Jack?" She half says, half asks.

"Jake," Gabe corrects. "His name is Jake." I look up at him and smile.

...

"So, where are you taking me for lunch?" I ask Gabe as he pulls his black jeans over his boxers.

"You'll see." He slips a tight t-shirt on. I run my hand through my messy hair and start to question Gabe's motives. I know he told me that he "really likes" me, but I just don't understand why. And I don't mean to sound self-deprecating, but he is so beautiful and so sweet and amazing, and I'm just, you know, me.

"What are you thinking about, Jake?" Gabe shrugs his backpack onto his shoulders.

"Oh, nothing," I reply. He squints at me.

"Alright, let's go." I follow Gabe out of the locker room and through the empty halls to an area of the school that I don't recognize.

"What's this place?" I ask him.

"Faculty Hall. There are staff bathrooms back here and some unused offices, I guess from when teachers couldn't just store everything on their computers. I hang out here during lunch if I want to be alone." He opens a door and leads me into a small stairwell lit only by a large window on the exterior wall.

"Are we allowed back here?"

"Nope, but no one comes here anyways. Wouldn't it be a waste if no one spent time back here?" Gabe sits on a step, and I sit next to him. He scoots in closer to me, and I can smell the subtle scent of sweat mixed with body wash on him. We take our lunch boxes out of our bags and start to eat. "What's up? What are you thinking about?" I consider lying to Gabe, but I decide he deserves my honesty.

"I guess I was wondering why you like me. I don't know. It kind of feels like you're too good for me." He frowns at me.

"You think I'm too good for you?" I nod, tears welling in my eyes. I don't know why. Gabe pulls me into a hug, and I bury my face into his neck. "I'm not too good for you, Jake. I like you, and nothing is going to change that."

"Thank you," I mumble into his neck. We sit like that, stuck in an embrace until the bell rings, and we're forced to go our separate ways.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Gabe says before kissing me goodbye. I watch him walk up the stairs. I already miss his touch.

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