"Cameron Isaac Howard. Explain." His mother shouts, sitting down on an empty chair, and her husband stands on his feet behind her, both looking at Cameron as if he were a criminal. Well, he kind of is. Physical assault is a crime.
Genny feels nervous now that Cameron's parents are here. He met them, but they never talked. And Cameron's mother said a few rude things to him when he went to do the project with Cameron. For some reason, that feels like it happened ages ago.
Cameron rubs a hand over his face, feeling done with all this shit. He just wants to go home and cuddle Genny, but his parent's angry expressions say he's in deep trouble.
"I got into a fight." He states.
"We can see that! Why?" His father shouts, and Cameron feels too lazy to answer, so the principal does.
"Genoah here was in danger so your son helped him. Very brave." The principal smiles, trying to calm things down.
Cameron's mother looks at Genny, fire and something else in her eyes. Disgust. She looks Genny up and down and Genny squirms under her gaze.
"You lowered yourself to violence for this-" She scowl, her hand gesturing up and down Genny's body, "This... thing."
Genny flinches, his eyes moving onto his lap as he refuses to look at anyone. He feels too ashamed to do so.
Cameron chuckles, not amused at all. Just angry. "Lowered myself to violence? This is the first time you notice my violence in years? What about those time I came home with bruises all over me from getting into fights?" Exactly, mommy, you didn't give one fuck. But now suddenly that I do it for Noah, you care?" He spats out, and his mother takes one step back.
"Do not talk like that to your mother." His father warns, and Cameron scoffs.
Genny feels as useless as a fork while he sits on the chair in front of the principal, not able to step in and defend Cameron. If he would, his mother would unleash fire.
"I suggest you take this outside." The principal shyly intervenes. Cameron's parents storm out of the room. Cameron turns towards Genny with a guilty and soft expression, as if he wanted to say something to the brunette, but before he can, his parents grab him.
Genny remains alone in the room, fiddling with his fingers as he looks down, not knowing what to do now that Cameron is gone and probably not coming back considering his parents are as angry as a Chihuahua on crack and they definitely wouldn't allow Cameron to see Genny.
Genny feels the principal's stare on him, "You too." He says, and Genny pouts.
He stands up, shoulders slouchy, and he moves out of the room at a glacial pace. Once he's in the hallway, he hears bickering, he looks to his left and sees Cameron and his parents, still fighting.
Genny remains in front of the principal's door, wrapping his arms around himself as he looks down, listening to the fight.
"You will get a girl and be normal, son." His father argues, and Genny can basically feel Cameron rolling his eyes.
"I don't know if you're mentally incapable, but I brought dudes in my room hundreds of times before. Did you think we were best buddies or sum? Hetero bros bumping testosterones?"
Genny tries not to giggle when he sees the father becoming full red at Cameron's foul language.
"YOU WILL NOT SEE THAT BOY AGAIN. He is destroying you."
"I was destroyed long before. If any so, he's healing me. I love him." Cameron argues, and Genny's eyes widen at the confession. He heard it before, but it seems different now. Much more serious.
"LOVE?" His mother shouts, "You don't know what love is."
"Do you? Dad has been cheating on you and you suck it up. Pathetic."
A slap sound echoes in the hallway. Genny whimpers as he watches Cameron's head turn the other way, his mother's hand raised in the air.
Cameron doesn't seem to mind or be affected by it in anyway.
He turns his head a bit to the side to glance at Genny, and he gives him a small smile as if assuring Genny he's okay. Genny would smile back if he weren't so scared. Scared of Cameron's parents, of losing Cameron's, of Cameron getting hurt because of him.
Cameron's parents catch their son's smile, and they notice Genny, who shudders under they gaze.
Cameron's dad sneers and grabs Cameron, "Pay attention, boy. Stop looking at him. You will never see him again, you hear." He snaps, and Cameron rolls his eyes.
Genny hears steps coming in his direction, and his instinct is to step back, but the other person is faster, and in no seconds, Cameron's mother is cornering him against the wall. Genny looks at her, lips quivering. He becomes small against the wall, trying to curl into a ball.
"Listen here, scum. My son has a future. A good future. You? You fuck off from it. Or else-"
Before she can finish, Cameron steps in front of Genny, a protective hand around him as he glares down at his mother.
The mother looks at him, clenching her jaw. "I mean what I say, Isaac. You will not meet this boy again. Say your goodbyes. Forever." She says and then takes her husband and they walk down the hall.
Genny looks up at Cameron, a sad frown.
Cameron grabs the sides of Genny' face, his rough palms in contrast with his soft intent. "It's okay. We'll hide. Don't listen to them."
Genny frowns and shakes his head.
"No."
Cameron steps back, almost not believing what he heard. He furrows his brows, not understanding Genny's refusal, or whatever that 'no' was.
"Cameron. You heard what they said. If they catch us-"
"THEY WON'T." Cameron snaps, making Genny flinch.
"And if they will? They'll throw you out, disown you. I don't want to stand in the way of you and your parents' relationship."
"Relationship? Pfft." Cameron snorts. "There's no relationship. I hate them. They can't tell me what to do." Cameron says, avoiding Genny's eyes. Cameron is acting differently, almost like he's seeing this as a joke. He's nonchalant, even arrogant. Genny can see the facade put on to cover his true reality of a neglected child who has no connection to a family. To a home.
But maybe there's still time. Maybe there's time for Cameron to make up with his family in ways that Genny didn't get to make up with his.
"We have to respect their wishes. Or else they'll hurt you." Genny says. It obviously hurts him to do this to Cameron, but hopefully he will understand. It will do him good in the long run.
"So you're breaking up with me?" Cameron huffs as if he's not believing what's happening. He takes an angry stance, arms crossed over his chest.
"I'm not breaking up with you, your parents are breaking us up. And we have to obey. You have to listen-"
"Why would I fucking listen? I-" Cameron argues. He doesn't understand why Genny is thinking like this. Why wouldn't he fight for them, why is he giving up?
"I KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO HAVE NO ONE." Genny shouts.
Cameron stops in his tracks, staring down at the brunette boy who looks like he's fuming. No in anger, but in something else. In pain, maybe?
It's the first time he ever raised his voice except when moaning.
Genny takes a deep breath, feeling bad about snapping, but it seems to be the only way to get Cameron's attention without interruptions.
"I know how it feels to have no family. And I don't want that for you. I don't want your family to become strangers to you. And if I have to stay out of the way for that not to happen..."
Cameron gulps. He doesn't know how to reply. Genny is making it clear he wants to leave him. Or, that he feels the need to leave Cameron just so that he can be happy with his family. Cameron thinks that's a bunch of sappy bullshit. He has never seen such bullshit before.
"Geno, please-" He tries to reason, but Genny shrugs him off again, making Cameron frustrated
"I'm sorry." Genny looks down, a stoic expression on his face. Cameron is getting irritated. Why isn't Genny crying, or looking sad? Why is he having this numb mask on while Cameron can barely hold his pain back?
It isn't fair. Cameron never complained about being hurt, but he can't help it this time. He is being abandoned again. And it's not Genny's fault that Cameron's parents are assholes, it's not his fault he feels the need to sacrifice a relationship so that Cameron can have a family.
But it still hurts. Why isn't Genny fighting for it? Why is he giving up? Why isn't he alongside Cameron, rebelling against their parents.
Cameron knows that 'why' questions aren't made to be answered. From the looks of it, it's over between them, Genny made it clear. But he can't help but feel it's not completely over. He feels that tug towards Genny, as cliche as it sounds.
It just feels so wrong for them to be separated. But yet, Cameron can't feel pain, he just feels numb. Because there's a voice inside his head saying it's not over, that it isn't destined to be over.
'A break.' Cameron finally breaks out of his internal silent struggle and is able to form some thoughts. 'Maybe it's just a break until high school is over.'
That gives him hope and it slowly lifts him out of the helplessness of being alone all over again. He refuses the thought. So for a moment, he lies to himself. 'It's just a break'.
"But you have nowhere to stay." Cameron reminds Genny, who sighs. He was supposed to go live with Cameron, but after the whole thing with his parents, their plan fell to ruin.
"I'll figure it out-"
"NO. You won't go back there. I won't let you. I won't leave until I know you're safe." Cameron stomps his foot, and it's the first time Genny is seeing this stubborn child side of him.
Genny huffs, knowing Cameron won't back down. But he's Genny Jensen, and he has to find a solution. And he just did, a bulb lightening above his head.
"I'll message Andy. I'll live with him." Genny assures, but Cameron still doesn't believe it and raises a brow.
"I promise, okay. Look, I'll message him right now." He takes out his phone and messages Andy, saying he needs a place to sleep tonight. After that, he shows Cameron the message, who eyes it suspiciously.
"You know I have Andy's phone number. If I call him tonight and find out you're not-" Cameron starts threatening, but Genny raises his hand.
"You won't. I promised you. And unlike you, I keep my promises."
Cameron takes a step back after hearing those words. That was a really low blow. His mouth opens, but he has nothing to say.
After saying that, Genny avoids to look into Cameron's eyes because he knows he'll see Genny's tears if he does so. 'It was the only way to keep Cameron away, make him think I don't want him anymore. It's for his own good.' Genny tells himself in hopes to make himself feel better, but he can't help the guilt as he feels Cameron's stunned silence.
Through that silence, Cameron is wondering, is Genny breaking up with him because of Cameron's parents, or is it just an excuse? If not, than why say that? Yes, Cameron made mistakes he regrets, but why bring them up now? Does Genny hate him? Why would he push Cameron away like that?
Cameron takes one long look at Genny, who is completely avoiding him as he looks down, chin tucked to his chest.
Cameron thinks of something to say, anything, but he remains speechless.
He has nothing to say, or to ask. Genny is acting as if Cameron isn't in front of him. Maybe it really is over, so Cameron turns around and walks down the hallway, angry, confused, and hurt. And what else could a hurt person do than fall into their old habits of violence.
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I really ain't feeling this story anymore but we'll go through it. Around 8 chapters left until the end. I'm only continuing it because I want to write the smut.