Inktober Writer - An altered version of the known challenge (2016)

02.10

Just like his father...part 2

The locker room echoes with the cheering of his team mates as he steps through the doors. The last game of the season and he scored the winning touchdown. "James!.. James!... James!..." half of the room is yelling while stomping their feet on the floor. "...Dean! ...Dean! ...Dean!" the other half counters while clapping their hands. A wide smile is plastered across his face. They are cheering and shouting for him. James receives high fives and pats on the shoulder as he crosses the room to his locker.

He doesn't really look that way, mesmerized by all the people surrounding him, supporting him and celebrating him. When he does look he sees him standing there. The smile on his face widens, something James didn't think was actually possible. His steps are slow, he is savouring every moment of the way he is being looked at, every second of the person he loves watching him so proudly, every bit of passion and affection twinkling in his lover's eyes. He reaches the other boy, both of them smiling more than they ever have. "You were amazing out there," the other boy said before he leaned forward and kissed James. They were only connected for a few seconds but those seconds could ignite cities, those seconds could destroy all pain, those seconds could stop anything and everything for eternity.

They parted when others around them were whistling and howling. A small laugh left James' lips as he turned to look at his team mates. He loved football but he loved more than just the game, this team was amazing, this team was the reason he played.

"Let's go," the other boy took James' hand when he was done changing. Together they walked out of the locker room and down the corridors of the empty, dimly lit school. There was only one point of contact between the two but that point of contact was all they needed to feel closer than ever.

"You know...I always thought that I was going to be like my dad," James laughed gently, his teeth flashing and his dimples showing. "Everybody always used to say 'Oh that little James! He looks just like his father!'," James knew this was true, he and his dad shared the same face, only his was younger with a few less wrinkles and missing the stubble. "Hehe 'A little heartbreaker that boy, he'll break the hearts of a lot of daughters' haha," James laughed again, this time a little bit harder. James stopped walking and turned to look at the other boy. "They were so wrong," he said and leaned in to kiss the other boy again.

"Not really," they heard a soft voice say. "You do break a lot of girl's hearts," his best friend added as she walked over to the two boys. "Why are the hot ones always gay?" she mocked, sounding just as idiotic as the other girls. All three of them laughed and continued to walk towards the exit.

"Kinda pathetic...but they do have a point, you are extremely hot," the other boy stated and winked at James, anything but subtle. James' best friend rolled her eyes and punched the other boys arm.

"You two make me sick," she joked, imitating a gagging sound. The two boys smiled at each other, the love so obvious to anybody.

"You'd be upset if we didn't make you the maid of honour when we get married though," James also joked. He knew that he wanted to share his life with the person holding his hand at this very moment. He had never been as sure about anything as he had been about this very thing. The three teens were smiling, life and opportunity still ahead of them as they exited the school building.

This short is inspired by the actual lyrics of "New Americana" by Halsey. ("Young James Dean, some say he looks just like his father, but he can never love somebody's daughter. Football team loved more than just the game. So he vowed to be his husband at the altar.")