Where to Find Me | Tyrus

Part 13

Cyrus' POV

I go to my locker before first period and see TJ waiting for me there.

"Cyrus!" he says as I approach him. "Do you have plans for dinner tonight?"

"No," I reply. "Did you have something in mind?"

"Well, sort of," he responds, taking my hands. "My parents want you to come over for dinner so they can meet you."

"Really? But I thought you said they weren't supportive?"

"They weren't, and I'm still not totally convinced they are. I don't know why they changed their minds, but they did and they want to meet you. It might be awkward, so I get it if you don't want to come."

"No," I say. "I want them to see how good we are together."

He grins. "Thanks, Underdog."

He plants a quick kiss on my lips, and a few kids turn to look. Nobody says anything, though.

"People are staring," I say. "Are you okay with this?"

He shrugs. "They're just jealous."

Then he kisses me again, this time for a little longer. When we separate, I notice one girl right behind TJ watching us intensively.

As soon as I meet her eyes, she scrambles to explain herself. "I'm not homophobic; I'm just gay and lonely. You're guys are so cute."

TJ and I chuckle, and he kisses me once more before he leaves for his first class.

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TJ open's the door and lets me in with a smile. I'm about to hug him, but then his parents come bursting into the room.

"Hello!" his mom says. "We just finished making supper, so why don't you come right into the kitchen and take a seat."

I smile and nod, then take off my coat. TJ takes it from me and hangs it up in the front closet. I wait for him to finish so I can walk with him into the kitchen, rather than going in alone.

"You nervous?" he asks, noticing my reluctancy.

"Me? Nervous?" I respond. "Yeah, a little."

He grins and gives me a quick side hug, squeezing my shoulder. I follow him through the living room to the table in the kitchen, at which he sits down beside me. Across from us are two empty seats, which I assume will be for his parents. That is confirmed when his mother carries a tray of food and places it in the centre of the table, taking a seat across from us.

"It's Cyrus, correct?" she says with a smile.

I nod.

"And you're TJ's . . . boyfriend?" The authenticity of her smile is dwindling.

"Yes."

"That's nice," she says before focusing her attention on the food in front of her. "Mark, can you bring the spoons for the bowls?"

TJ's father disperses a handful of utensils among each of the dishes and sits down.

TJ starts filling his plate, so I do the same, dropping scoops of mashed potatoes, peas, and beans on my plate.

"So Cyrus, do you do any extra curricular activities?" Mr. Kippen asks. "Any sports?"

"I was an honorary member of the Space Otters."

"Space Otters?" he says skeptically, taking a bite of his potatoes.

"It's Jefferson's ultimate Frisbee team."

"I see."

"What about basketball?" Mrs. Kippen wonders. "You don't play that?"

I shake my head. "I just watch all the games."

"Then how did you meet our son?"

"Well, my friend was on his team."

"Buffy," TJ explains. "The girl who tutored me for a while."

"Oh, I remember her. She seemed very nice," she says with a smile.

I glance at TJ at the same time as he looks at me, then we return back to our eating.

"You didn't like her?" his mom continues.

TJ's voice tightens in anger he's trying his best to control. "Not the way I like Cyrus," he says through clenched teeth.

"I see." She takes a sip from her glass of water.

"Cyrus," Mr. Kippen says, "What drew you to our boy?" He cuts off my hesitation by asking another question. "What did you do to make him like you?"

TJ slams his fist on the table. "He didn't make me do anything!"

I reach up and place my hand on his wrist. When he turns to see me, his eyes soften as I give him a gentle smile. His parents watch in silence as TJ winds his fingers through mine and calmly leans back in his chair, letting our intertwined hands hang down between us under the table.

"Okay, then," his mother says, taking another bite of her dinner. "TJ, honey, eat your supper before it gets cold." She shovels in another spoonful, keeping her eyes off of her son and I and our obvious connection.

___________________________________

After bearing through the rest of the awkwardly quiet meal, TJ and I go downstairs. I sit on the couch as he turns on his PS4. Then he comes over to join me, passing me a controller.

"Ever played Battlefront?" he asks, and I shake my head. "Well, I'll show you how it works."

As he opens the application, my eyes wander to the pile plastic ponies on the ground.

"Why isn't your sister here?" I ask.

He taps his controller with his thumb and looks down at his hands. "She's at a sleepover. I think that's why my parents wanted you to come over today. They knew she wouldn't be here." He grins slightly, saying, "Too bad it doesn't matter. She already knows about you and she is ay-okay with it."

"That's good to hear," I respond.

"Yeah." TJ takes one arm and wraps it around me. "I'm sorry they're being so stupid."

"Don't worry about it," I say.

"I just hate how awkward that was."

"That's okay. I'm awkward all the time. It's one of my defining characteristics."

He laughs. "You're cute too."

"As are you."

I look at him with puckered lips. He instantly gets the hint and leans in to kiss me.