Black And White

Forty Six

Mitch stood quickly. "Oh, Mr. Hoying! H-Hello, um.. How are you?"

Rick eyed him quickly, noting that he was only wearing one of Scott's flannels (which was unbuttoned) and a pair of boxers. "I'm well."

Mitch followed his eyes, and quickly wrapped the flannel around himself.

Scott walked back out, and he nearly dropped the sparkling water in his hand. "Dad? What the Hell are you doing here?"

"I live here..? Is this Mitch?"

Scott rushed over to Mitch to hide him a little. "Yeah, uh... He was gonna spend the night..."

"Judging by his outfit, looks like you've already done what you wanted to. He doesn't need to be here."

"You can't just kick him out. I invited him here."

Mitch grabbed Scott's shirt to whisper to him. "I can go, Scott. Please don't argue."

"No. I want you here."

Rick dropped his luggage and closed the door, turning toward the kitchen. "Did you two drink all the beer?"

"Didn't drink any of it, Dad." Scott snapped, pulling Mitch to his room by the arm.

"Oh, so you fucked sober? That's almost worse."

"Shut the fuck up. Nobody asked your opinion." Scott gestured to the bed for Mitch to sit. "Just stay here, please."

Scott then stormed back out of the room into the kitchen only to scream at his dad. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming home?"

"Listen I'm sorry I ruined your little date, but this is my house and you can't just ask me to leave."

"But you abandon me for weeks at a time! How could I have known you'd be here?!"

"I don't know! And I don't care! Get him the fuck out of here!"

"Why?! What did he ever do to you?!"

"I don't want you fucking in the room next to me!"

"We won't! I just want him to sleep over when did that become a crime?!"

"Don't fucking shout at your father!"

Mitch heard something glass shatter, and he jumped up.

Scott was the next to speak. "What are you doing? Why do you think she left you, you asshole?"

Mitch couldn't help but walk down the hall, peeking into the kitchen.

Scott's words made his dad snap, and he threw another beer bottle at Scott, only for Scott to jump out of the way to have the bottle smash against the wall beside where Mitch was.

Mitch screamed and ducked behind the wall, adrenaline spiked now.

Scott stood back up, grabbing his car keys and turning away. "Fuck you. We're out of here. Call me when you grow the fuck up."

"Don't you walk out on me Scott Richard."

"I'm going to my fucking boyfriend's house, where his parents actually enjoy my presence."

"That's bullshit! You're my son and--!"

"Am I?" Scott asked quietly, turning around the hallway to grab Mitch's wrist and pull him toward the front door. "Guess I was doomed from the start then."

Scott closed the front door quickly, Mitch still wearing as little as he was in the beginning.

When he turned to face Mitch, Mitch noticed the scratch on the side of his face. "Oh, honey... Are you okay?"