Paper Hearts (boyxboy)

Roomies

Andrew:

I nervously pace the floor, waiting for Noah's call. When he said he was going to tell his dad about us, I didn't think his dad would be too keen on letting him leave the house afterward. But he promised me he would call! I'm really getting worried about him.

"Andrew! Gehen deinen Arsch hier runter!" my mom yells up. She must've just gotten home from work. I hurry down the stairs, glancing out the window. All I'm seeing is buckets of rain. God, I hope he's okay.

My mother is standing in the living room holding her wet leather purse and glaring at me as I approach. Her hair that had previously been styled high in a plump updo of curls is matted down now and glistening in the light from the rain, and I can't help but think she looks ridiculous. "Mom," I start. "I really didn't---" She holds up her hand, stopping me.

"I got a call from the school today. Care to tell me why you sent a boy to the emergency room?" Her voice is sharp, something I rarely experience.

I rub the back of my neck. "He punched Noah. And he was about to do it again." She shakes her head at me as I try to explain. "It wasn't my fault mom, I warned him!"

"Son, you can't be pulling stunts like that. That boy is seriously hurt! What happens if they file a lawsuit on you?"

I sigh. "They won't mom. And if they do, we'll tell them how he gave me a black eye and drove his fist through my boyfriend's stomach."

She rubs the bridge of her nose in between her eyes. "Ah, bumsen. Why didn't you tell me that was what happened to your eye! You said you ran into a door!"

"I wasn't necessarily lying, If you consider Eric Johnson's fist a door..." I test, not realizing how dumb of an excuse it is until it comes out.

She gives me an annoyed look. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Love me forever?"

She brings me in for a hug. "Don't ever pull that shit again, son."

I nod my head in her arms. "I won't."

"Good." She says. "Now tell me why your hands are so sweaty."

I look up quickly. "It's Noah, mom." I stutter, wasting no time with holding on to the last conversation. "He was going to tell his dad about me tonight. But he hasn't called. I'm worried what his dad might've done..."

"Pssh. He's gay. So what? I doubt his dad will even care."

"Oh, he'll care. He definitely will care."

"What's he gonna do, kill him?" She asks.

I look up at her with a serious face. "I wouldn't be surprised."

"Oh." She mumbles. "Maybe we should go over there and check on him..."

We hear a knock at the door just then and jump up in surprise. I rush over to answer it, hearing thunder on the other side. The first thing I see when I open it is those big, beautiful, blue eyes. The second thing I see is blood streaming down his face.

"My dad kicked me out." Noah says, standing steady in the pouring rain.

"I see that..." I nod towards the duffle bag next to him. "What happened to your nose?"

He shakes his head at the ground. "It didn't go very well, baby. Think I could stay here, just for tonight?"

My mom pops up behind me. "Oh honey you could stay here forever! Get in this house, child! You must be freezing!"

He smiles gratefully, stepping in and taking off his soaked shoes. Mom leads him up the stairs to the guest bedroom across from mine and helps him clean up his nose in the bathroom. After a quick shower and a change of clothes, he comes back downstairs to find us sitting on the couch, looking at him directly.