Blossoming From Zero (boyxboy)

Chapter 36 - Hostile Dining

I go into a little more detail after Cortney demands.

"That must have been one deep conversation if you got Gale to like you." Luke says. I just gave him a weak smile. 

"Dinner is ready guys." Harry said, opening the back door. Cortney and Luke ran into the house leaving me behind. We got to the table and saw it was fully set.

"Ugh... veggies again?" Luke whines.

"Don't be spoiled. Vegetables are healthy, and taste good." Debra rolled her eyes. It seems like they have this conversation often.

"Not the way you make them." Luke complained.

"I don't see Cortney or your father complaining!" She retorted.

"Cortney will eat anything, and Harry is your husband, so of course he's going to lie to make you feel better." Luke said. That was quite a low blow.

"Well can you tell me how they're supposed to be cooked?" She asked Luke, smugly.

"I can't, but little Harv here can." He said gesturing to me. Her glare turned to me, only growing twice as bitter.

"Okay, after dinner we'll have... HIM cook vegetables. You all will have to decide who's is better." She said, flicking her head to the side.

"W-well, shall we begin?" Harry asked, nervously. Everyone silently nodded. 

"We say grace in this home by the way." Harry informed me. We closed our eyes and listened to his speech. When he finished we all started eating in an awkward silence. Debra's cooking was actually very good, just, her veggies were a little bitter. I'm not one to waste food so I'll eat all of it..

"Harvey here is talented at many different things." Cortney said breaking the silence, probably trying to spark a conversation. 

"Oh yeah? Like what." Harry politely asks.

"He can sing, dance, draw, play guitar, piano, he's good at math, history, who knows what else!" Cortney says dramatically.

"What a waste." Debra scoffed, shutting her eyes while scooping from her plate. That kind of hurt, but I'm all too used to people not accepting me. They all just looked at me in pity.

"Don't say such things Debra. Especially at the table." Harry scolded. She looked a bit sad.

We finished the awkward dinner, thankfully.

"Harvey, cook me some vegetables!" Luke demanded.

"I-If that's truly okay with your mom." I reply.

"Knock yourself out." She said sarcastically flailing her arms. "Just don't use too much of my ingredients."

I made my way over to the kitchen and searched the fridge. There was broccoli, brussels sprouts and spinach. I turned the stove on mid heat and drizzled the pan with olive oil. I open a pack of spinach and pour it in the pan, soon followed by the chopped broccoli. I slice up the brussels spouts and some onions I got from the counter and place them into the pan. I sautéed them until they were tender. I had a little audience watching me cook. Luke, Cortney and Debra eyed me moving from one part of the kitchen to the next. I spiced up the dish one final time before shutting of the stove.

"I... I think they're done." I announce. Luke eagerly made his way to the pan and pinched a little into his mouth.

"This is how it's done!" Luke exclaimed, fist pumping. Cortney ran to the pan copying Luke, pinching a little from the pan.

"So good!" She quickly hugged me.

"I guess it couldn't hurt to try a little." Debra said, slowly walking up to the pan. I back away to give her space. She took a little with a fork, being proper, unlike Cortney and Luke. She slowly lifted the greens to her mouth. She chewed them and a look of shock disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared on her face.

"This is alright, I guess." She pretended. Trying not to admit defeat

"Whatever mom, we all know its better than yours. C'mon Harv, lets go back up stairs." Luke said frustrated. I simply nod. I look back while making my way out of the kitchen. Debra stood, eying the pan. 

We were now in Luke's room once again. He turned the music back on. A few songs later, a catchy one played    (Play the song).   Cortney started dancing like a maniac. I laughed hysterically, watching her throw her arms in the air, with her beautiful golden hair flinging around.

Cortney wore herself out. She laid on Luke's bed scrolling through her phone. Luke was also on his phone, probably searching for music. I felt a bit left out. I didn't know what to do. Suddenly Luke grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me into his lap, like earlier today. He pressed his chin on my shoulder and wrapped an arm around my waist using the other to continue browsing his phone. I felt the blood rushing to my head, turning me pink.

"You're like a big teddy bear." Luke sheepishly grinned with a little breath.

"L-Luke?" I barely manage to speak.

"Don't mind him too much. He really likes to cuddle." Cortney warns while rolling her eyes. 

"You smell... extremely good." Luke complimented, sounding surprised.

"I wanna smell." Cortney said, getting up from the bed. Luke stood me up and pushed me to Cortney with his foot. She put her nose at my hair.

"Wow, you smell really sweet, almost like that sweet store smell." Cortney giggled. They are both weird. They passed me back and forth between themselves like I was some kind of ball. I was entertained though. I was stuck in an endless void of laughter. The motion of being flung around was somehow very funny. Cortney even started tickling me. After messing around for awhile I  decided it was time to head home.

"Alright guys, I should probably be heading home now." I say, standing from the floor.

"Awwww." Cortney whined. "I'm taking you home then!"

"My house is ri-" Before I could finish my sentence she placed a finger on my lips.

"Nope! I'm taking you." She stated. "You coming Luke?"

"Nah, you guys can go ahead. I'm gonna stay here." He says shooing us. I ask him the name of the song that played earlier today before we went down stairs. As we made our way outside I spotted Debra going ham on those veggies I cooked earlier. She didn't look so proper anymore.

Cortney ran ahead of me and got in her car. As I made my way down the walkway Debra approached me.

"Why do you waste all of your talent by choosing to be... gay?" She asked.

"I didn't choose to be gay. It just happens, its not a choice." I inform her. She looked puzzled at my answer, like she didn't understand it. I assume she never really tried thinking about it until now.

"W-Well, good bye ma'am." I say, giving a small bow. She didn't respond, so I just walked off towards Cortney's car.