Nothing ever Changes

1

I leave my boyfriend's - well, as soon as he's sober, he'll be my Ex-boyfriend - apartment. It's cold, and I regret leaving my jacket on his couch.

Oh well. He can keep it.

My name is Lio. I don't use my last name anymore.

I walk down the street, pushing through crowds, and people on bikes and skateboards. Who skateboards at nine o'clock at night?

I walk to the apartment I share with one of my best friends, Jake. He shouldn't be there, since he's supposed to be on a date. But, knowing him, he probably cancelled, and is waiting for me on the couch with a bowl of chocolate cookie dough ice cream. Like last time. And the time before that. And the time before that.

Sure enough, when I get there, he's focused on the television, scooping ice cream out of a bowl. I sigh, and flick the lights on.

"Jake." I say. "What happened?"

He looks up at me, and smiles.

Jake has curly auburn hair that hangs in his face, and bright green eyes. He's got lots of freckles, and light skin. He's adorable.

I'm hot, and I'm not being conceited, I just know I am. I have thick, wavy black hair that hangs in my face, and smooth, light skin. Ari, my other best friend, says I look like Conan Gray. I guess they're kinda right.

Jake and I are eighteen. Our families kicked us out when they found out we're gay. Apparently, they were counting on their sons to 'carry on the family line.' I don't know how they expected us to do that, since we're guys, but oh well. They should've had more kids.

Jake has it worse, since he really loved his family. My family never cared about me much, and vise versa. I was hardly ever home, anyway. Jake's older brother let us stay here while he's off at college, but he's the only one that'll still talk to Jake.

Jake hardly ever gets crushes, but he chickens out when he's got the chance to do something. He's cute, and lots of people probably like him, but I think I tend to scare them away. One guy cheated on him, and I nearly killed him. It got me suspended for a week, but it was definitely worth it. If anyone hurt him bad enough, I might actually kill them. I'd do the same for Ari, but they'd probably do it themself.

"I didn't want to go." He says simply. That's always what it is.

I scan the living room. Clothes are tossed around, week old laundry neither of us want to do, and old take out food bags are on the floor. The cans of febreeze under the sink usually covers up the smell.

If something was wrong, he would've panicked and cleaned everything up. He's fine.

I sit next to him, and press a kiss to his lips, because I can. "What're you watching?"

"Back to the Future." He mumbles. I roll my eyes. He's watched this a million times.

I lift an arm, and let him curl to my side. He hands me a spoon, and pushes me the ice cream. He re-starts the movie, and we watch it, me making unnecessary comments the whole time.

He falls asleep first, he always does. He's not heavy at all, so I carry him to the bedroom, and lay him down on the bed we share.

The room is a mess, but I hate cleaning, so I don't do anything.

I push papers off the desk chair, and sit in it, resting my feet on the desk. I check my phone for the twenty texts I'm expecting from Ari about their newest crush.

Sure enough, they rave about some girl they met at a bar named Janice. We text back and forth for a couple hours, while I scroll through Youtube.

"Li," I hear Jake mumble from the bed. "Come lay down."

I say good night to Ari, and after promising to go see them tomorrow, I lay beside Jake. He pulls me close, and I wrap my arms around him.

"Good night," I murmur, kissing his forehead.

My life is awfully predictable. But I like it this way.