Breathe

twenty-one

"This is not okay. No wonder you're an alcoholic, you can't even raise your own-"

"Shut the fuck up already," Conan interrupted her, his anger easily matching her own. "I told you this isn't necessary. We shouldn't have come here."

His mother's face had grown red as she turned to him. "Conan Leary, don't you dare speak to me like that."

"Or what? You kick me out? You make me homeless?" He was close to yelling at this point. "Fucking do it, mom. Come on. Kick your own son out since you're so ashamed to go out in public with him."

Michael shifted uncomfortably next to me, but I was too surprised by the scene happening in front of me to think of him. I had never before seen Conan this enraged, this fed up.

Okay, so his mom was this strict lady with clear opinions on what was good and bad, and his dad was this closed off, intimidating guy. They wanted Conan to work, to become responsible, to learn to stand on his own feet; but all that Conan had in mind was finding his own way in life, without listening to others.

He wasn't as ambitious and hard working as his parents. He wasn't like them, and when his dad looked at him with empty eyes, I realized that they didn't accept it.

"Enough," Babsy hissed, her face a dark shade of red, not going well with the bright shade of her pink hair.

Conan pressed his lips shut, once again fixing his gaze on the table, still not meeting anyone's gaze. I froze when his dad, Bob, suddenly looked at me.

"Aren't you a faggot, too?"

"Excuse me," Anna hissed, her patience ending. "Don't you dare call him that."

Bob met her burning gaze with an indifferent expression. "I'm not wrong. It's not natural."

Everyone looked at Conan when he stood up so suddenly his chair almost fell over. He hurried out of the kitchen, and the sound of the front door falling shut erupted through the house only seconds later.

"This isn't over," Babsy said through gritted teeth, but Anna met her cold stare with the same determination in her eyes.

"Yes it is. We don't have anything to say to you."

She stood up, and Michael copied her. "You should go now."

Babsy shot her husband another glare before grabbing his arm and pulling him out of the house. I remained seated at the table, thoughts raging through my mind.

Conan liked boys. They didn't accept it.

They didn't accept him.

"Kiri, you alright?" Anna asked as she sat back down next to me. I shrugged, slowly turning my head to her.

"I had no idea Conan's parents are like... that."

Anna sighed, exchanging a look with Michael before gesturing him to sit down again as well. "Kiri, they threatened to take legal action. We don't know if they actually will, but we need to know what happened so we can be prepared."

I hesitated, not sure how much I could share with them. I ended up only telling them about the party, but not sparing any of the details – well, maybe a few like the cigarettes, but I included all the important ones.

When I was done Michael sighed. "I never got into that kind of trouble as a kid."

I tilted my head, grimacing. "You probably also didn't have a social life as a kid."

"Hey, don't be rude," Anna said, frowning. "We should focus on Conan. The poor kid."

"Wait. They'll probably talk to Asher next." I pulled my phone out of my pocket, already dialing his number. As I waited for him to pick up, I walked back to my room, closing the door behind me.