Once all of them left the skating rink, Ethan was carrying Val back to his house. Val was on his back as he walked, and she had her face buried in his neck. "I love you so much," Val whispered, but it was muffled by his neck.
"I know you do. I love you so much too," Ethan said.
When they arrived at Ethan's house, Val got off of him before the both of them walked inside. They went into his room and Val flopped on his bed. "I'm gonna get a cherry coke, do you want anything?" Ethan asked as he took off his shoes and his coat.
"Can I get water?" Val asked, looking at him.
Ethan nodded and walked into the kitchen. He didn't notice Johnny at first. Ethan got a cherry coke can and water bottle out of the fridge, but he dropped them when he realized his father was standing beside him.
"Hey Izzy," Johnny said.
Ethan just stared at him in shock before backing out and he ran to his room, locking the door. He never locked the door, but he didn't feel safe at that moment. He slid down the door once he realized Val was asleep. He began to hyperventilate while sobbing, quietly. He wasn't used to being called his deadname unless it was teachers at school or something, but hearing it at home for the first time in three years caused him to break.
Val woke up in need of a drink, so she stood up, but she saw Ethan having a panic attack. She immediately went to him, "Hey, what's wrong? What happened? Try to breathe, okay?"
Ethan tried to breathe, but he ended up coughing. He wanted to tell her what happened, why he was like that, but he couldn't figure out how to word it; he also couldn't speak as the sobs wouldn't stop coming out. He accidentally let out a huge sob, and he broke down in Val's arms. Val didn't know why he was like that, but she didn't want to pry.
That night, Ethan had fallen asleep in Val's arms after she finally helped him calm down. She took him to the bed and held him as he fell asleep.
The next morning, when Ethan woke up, he kind of told Val what happened. He said, "My dad's here."
Val hugged him tightly, "Do you want to stay at my house for a bit?"
Ethan shook his head, "It's fine. I'll be okay. I think you should go home for a little while, though, is that okay?"
Val nodded, "Of course, my love," she kissed him before standing up and putting her shoes on. "I love you, okay?"
"I love you too," Ethan said, looking down.
Val walked out of Ethan's room, making sure to shut the door behind her. She glared at Johnny as she walked out, but he didn't notice. Val walked home.
Kris, Ethan's mom, walked into his room and looked at him, "What's wrong?"
Ethan didn't look at her, but asked, "Why is he here?"
"He's your father, honey," Kris responded as she sat on Ethan's bed, beside him.
"Does he even know I'm Trans, mom?" Ethan asked, looking at her with teary eyes.
She just stayed silent.
"I'm taking that as a no," Ethan rolled his eyes.
"It's not my place to tell him," Kris responded.
"I don't wanna deal with his transphobic ass," Ethan said. It was obvious he was now getting mad.
"He's changed. He's sober now too," Kris sighed.
"Drug addicts don't fucking change!" Ethan yelled on accident.
"Don't use cussing to let out your anger. You know my rule," she said as she stood up, "And they can change if they truly want to."
"No they can't! He left us to go shoot up heroin. How long have you been talking to him?" Ethan asked.
That's not important, Ethan."
How fucking long?!" Ethan yelled. He balled up his fists in order to control his anger.
"A month and a half," Kris sighed.
Ethan didn't respond. He got his skateboard, mp3 player, and earbuds, put his jacket and shoes on, then ran out of his room then house. He couldn't handle it. He needed to let out his anger, but he didn't know how, so he ended up running to Dylan's house.
Dylan immediately answered the door. He saw Ethan breaking down. "What's wrong, Ethan?" Dylan shut the door as he got on his front porch.
"My fucking dad is back and my mom is acting like it's fucking okay," Ethan said. He was shaking out of anger. "I ran out of the house. She's been talking to him for over a fucking month! How the fuck is that okay? Goddamn. I love her, but she can't fucking do this shit to me!"
Dylan held Ethan as he fell to the porch floor. "You're staying here for a bit. You have no choice. Right now, we're gonna go to my room and you're gonna try to go to sleep. I'll tell my mom and dad that you need to stay here for a bit, they love you, so they'll let you, then when you wake up, you're gonna be given your favorite food."
"Pizza?" Ethan asked.
"Only the best kind of pizza. Sausage for my little unlabeled best friend," Dylan joked.
"Oh fuck you," Ethan laughed.
The two best friends walked into Dylan's house. Dylan took Ethan into his room before going to talk to his parents. "So Izzy needs to stay here for a few days. Is that okay?"
"As long as you don't fuck her, it's okay," Dylan's dad said.
"She's my childhood best friend, dad. I don't wanna do that," Dylan said, kind of annoyed.
Dylan's dad took a sip of his fireball, "Just sayin'."
Dylan walked back into his room and found a sleeping Ethan, so he covered him up with the blanket.
