Fanboy (boyxboy)

Wait it Out

"Keith, come on," Brent turned to the hulking man. "I know you're trying to protect us, but you know guys have needs."

"And you both need to keep your pants on until I know you're with someone who won't turn around and claim she got pregnant or cry rape just to get some money from you."

"No one would lie about that," Adam protested.

"Why do you think people who actually get raped have such a hard time pressing charges?" Keith shook his head. "Where are you from? Pleasantville?"

"Westboro? And before that-"

"He was being a dick," Brent interrupted. "Back off, Keith. Adam's not sheltered because his parents put him in a happy bubble. His mom was a junkie who neglected him and his dad's a bigoted asshole who hides behind a twisted form of religion instead of just admitting he's a dick."

Adam had never heard anyone describe his family that way before. It was like having the dream people sometimes described where they dreamed they were walking around naked. Only Adam knew he was fully dressed.

"Sorry, kiddo," Keith thankfully wasn't giving Adam any kind of sympathetic smile. "My mom's into a lot of that shit too. Never knew my dad but I bet he wasn't a winner either. You still talk to your mom?"

"She's dead," Adam told him. "So yeah. All the time."

"I'm sorry."

"Can we go back?" Adam asked Brent.

"Yeah, Pastor Ben sent me a new devotional. Wanna check it out?" Brent offered.

"No, not really."

"It's supposed to be really good. We could read it together."

"I'm good."

"Adam," Brent didn't say anything so Adam looked at him. "I know you're pissed at your dad, but you can't turn your back on God just because he fucked you over."

"I honestly don't know if I believe any of that stuff anymore."

"Okay," Brent took a deep breath. "Well, I'm not gonna preach at you. But will you please keep doing church with me until you figure it out?"

"I guess," Adam bit his tongue. His heart dropped. How was it that Brent could see right through him? Adam hadn't even thought about how being mad at his dad was probably the whole reason he hated everything that had to do with church.

They were quiet as they walked which Adam knew was a bad sign. Brent was never quiet. When Adam dared look over at him, he saw that Brent had put sunglasses on.

"Hey, are you mad at me?" Adam almost didn't want to hear the answer.

"No."

Brent didn't say anything else so Adam didn't ask. He just followed Brent back to their room, pausing only for a second to get his phone from Monroe. They had the night off before their show the next day so no one would bother them except for dinner.

"Are you sure you're not mad?" Adam could take the silence.

"No, listen," Brent pulled his sunglasses off and threw them on his bed. "It's just really shitty right now. Dax is sick and acting all depressed, you're upset cause Ainsley had a breakdown and your dad sucks and and now you're questioning your faith too, and I'm trying really hard but seeing everyone I love suffer is just a lot to deal with."

"Oh."

"And I'm sorry, I don't want to keep talking about it, but like church was our thing," Brent went on. "It was something only we did together, none of the other guys, and now I might lose that. It kinda hurts."