Just A Spark [boyxboy]

Just A Spark {18}

                I fell back on my bed. Mitch, Shane, and Jace had all left about two hours ago, and it was just me and Ezra.

                Ezra was watching me curiously. “Are you tired?”

                I shook my head. “No. I mean mentally exhausted, yes, but I couldn’t fall asleep right now even if I tried.”

                There was a knock on the door, and my dad let himself in. He came over to me, and I saw him shatter a little more inside as he looked at the light bruises on my face.

                “How are you?” he asked in concern.

                “I’m fine,” I said. “Starving, though.”

                “That’s why I’m here. Dinner is ready,” he said, pulling me so that I was sitting up. He hesitated. “Hank is out there. I can bring you guys dinner if you want to eat in here.”

                I shook my head. “Nah, family bonding time. I’m forcing Ezra to sit through an awkward dinner with the family now that we’re dating,” I said.

                “Awkward dinners are my favorite,” he said cheerfully.

                “You know, you’re not even a boyfriend. You’re more like my ugly pet cat,” I said.

                “Ugly?” he said, laughing. “I’m offended!”

                “Alright, you’re pretty hot,” I said, leaning over and kissing him. “But you’re some awkward human, cat, monkey hybrid.”

                “I escaped from the lab,” he said, jumping up. “Killed all the scientists and broke out.”

                “Scientific experiment gone horribly wrong,” I said, standing up.

                “I can tell you two go well together,” dad said, laughing. It was a sound that relieved me to hear.

                We followed him out to the dining room and sat down together. We all loaded our plates with food.

                Hank was watching me and Ezra as we talked to each other casually. He was slowly lifting food into his mouth, his appetite barely a thing.

                “So Ezra, do you have any siblings?” mom asked.

                “I have a charming older sister named Rachel,” he said with a smile.

                “Does this happen in every family? One exotically named child, and one child with a boring name? Ezra and Rachel. Rio and Hank,” I said.

                “What’s wrong with Hank?” Hank demanded.

                “Nothing. It’s just boring,” I said with a shrug.

                “And then there’s you, River,” he said.

                “If you start calling me River, I’m going to punch you,” I groaned.

                “Why? I think it’s nice,” Ezra said, smiling.

                “My name is Rio,” I said sternly.

                “Technically your name is River,” he pointed out.

                “My birth certificate says ‘Rio’ not ‘River’,” I said. “So if you keep calling me River, this will be a very short lived relationship.”