Gasping for breath, I stumbled towards Arin's quaint home, my heart pounding with each step. Sweat beaded on my forehead, and I felt like I was on the brink of collapsing. But I couldn't give up now. I had to see Arin. I pressed the doorbell, and the door creaked open. Standing before me was a man with dark-brown eyes and the same-colored hair, a tense jaw, and furrowed brows. His features were eerily similar to my boyfriend's, but this man was slightly taller, and I had never seen him before.
I felt his annoyance radiating off him like a heat wave, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I knew I was unwelcome, yet I couldn't back down now. His eyes darted over my shoulder, searching for an escape from the conversation even before it began. My mouth went dry, and I struggled to find my voice. The air between us was heavy with his annoyance, and I couldn't ignore the way it made my heart race.
"Uhhh, Hello. Mr. Winslow, I'm presuming. I'm David, Arin's boyfriend. I don't know if he has talked to you about me before but I want to take your son to prom." I said with a shaky voice as I felt the cold sweat pouring down from my head
"Lord, help me" he softly muttered as he tightly clenched the cross necklace which was adorned around his neck.
His lips stretched into a tight, insincere smile. "I had a feeling my son was up to something when he moved out to live with his friend. But I never thought he'd turn to... this." he said, his tone strained with discomfort.
My heart sank at his words, and I felt a surge of fear rise up within me. This wasn't going to be easy.
Mr. Winslow's disapproving gaze lingered on me, his body tense with barely contained hostility. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, suddenly feeling like an unwelcome guest in his home. My eyes darted around the room, searching for something to say or do to ease the tension, but found nothing. The air between us was thick with unspoken words, and I could sense the weight of Mr. Winslow's disapproval bearing down on me. It was clear that he blamed me, at least in part, for his son's perceived sins, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease in his presence.
"L-look Mr. Winslow, I know you probably disapprove of us but please, let me take your son to prom. He really wants to go there with me and I broke his heart when I said no. So please, let me make it up to him." I said, trying to sound firm yet deep down I was scared out of my mind. This was Arin's father, he has the power to force Arin to never see me again. So I need to tread carefully yet still need to get my point across.
"Kid, I understand that you care a lot about my son, but I can't let him go to prom with another boy. It's not natural and goes against everything I believe in. I'm sorry but I'm afraid I need to ask you to leave now." He sighed as he tried to close the door, but I managed to sneak my foot between the door and the frame so that it'll be open for me to at least try to convince him.
"Sir, please listen to me for a while." I pleaded as I tried to get him to open the door. To his annoyance he opened the door once more and started to stare daggers into me.
"One minute." He said coldly as he crossed his arms as if trying to protect himself from something
"Look, I understand that you have your beliefs and all, but maybe it's time to accept that being gay is not such a bad thing? I mean, there's research that shows it's a natural occurrence and it's not a choice. And I know you love your son, but he's also his own person who has the right to make his own choices, even if they don't align with yours. So, maybe, could you reconsider and let him go to prom with me? I promise I'll take care of him and respect him." I said, my words spilling out in a desperate rush as I tried to sway his beliefs. I leaned forward, gesturing with my hands as I spoke, hoping to convey the depth of my feelings. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I struggled to find the right words, my heart racing with the fear of failure.
"I've heard enough of this crap from you, you fucking queer." He yelled as his face turned red.
My heart instantly sank as I heard that as I felt like my mind was racing to find out how did it all go wrong.
"I'm not having my son associate with you people. He's not going to some faggy dance where he would be with a fucking fag like you." His voice was louder than ever, echoing in the streets as I shrank back feeling utterly powerless and helpless. But that's when I saw him. Arin walked behind his dad, looking all groggy as if he has just woken up from a nap.
"Dad, why the hell are you shouting?" He yawned as he stretched a little, when he probably noticed my eyes of desperation gazing at him, silently pleading for his assistance.
"D-David? What are you doing here? I told you I'd be back at your place soon." He said, his brows furrowed, probably confused as to why I was there.
"I- I decided. I'm taking you to prom today Arin!" I declared right in front of him and his father as I tried to stand up straight but I think they both noticed the cracks in my voice as I said those words.
"W-what really?" He said as his eyes widened with excitement and his voice rising with enthusiasm.
A smile started to form on my lips but then Mr. Winslow suddenly turned his back on me and faced his son.
"Oh no you're not." He said as his eyes was fixed on Arin, his gaze filled with such intense fury that it made my blood run cold.
Arin's voice remained steady and his eyes met his father's with a determined look. "I'm going, Dad. This is important to me and I won't let you take it away," he said firmly, his body tense with resolve.
Mr. Winslow's voice grew more desperate as he pleaded with his son. "Arin, please. I don't want to see you suffer eternal damnation. You know what the Bible says about homosexuality. I'm doing this for your own good." His tone softened as he looked at his son, his love for him conflicting with his religious beliefs.
Arin slowly walked up to his father, his eyes filled with tears. As he reached out, his father flinched, but Arin continued until he wrapped his arms around him in a warm embrace. His father stood stiffly for a moment, but then seemed to relax into the hug, his face softening. Arin whispered into his ear, "Daddy, I'm not your little boy anymore. You've got to let me make my own choices." His voice cracked with emotion. "I love you, Dad, but I love David too. Please don't do this to me." He pulled back from the hug and looked into his father's eyes, his own pleading for understanding.
As Mr. Winslow spoke, his voice grew softer with a hint of resignation. He finally gave in to his son's request but couldn't help but feel uneasy about it. His eyes darted back and forth as if he was struggling to come to terms with the situation.
Then, with a deep breath, he conceded, "Fine... I understand... Just stay safe..." It was as if he had given up on the argument and just wanted to move on from it.
But then, with a sudden shift in tone, he turned to me and his expression turned menacing. "And you... if you ever break my son's heart. I will make sure you regret it," he warned with an intense ferocity that seemed to come from a place of deep pain and hurt. It was as if he had experienced the pain of heartbreak before and didn't want his son to go through the same thing.
Arin's hand tightened around mine, his grip desperate and pleading as he turned to his father. "Dad, please," he said softly, his voice almost a whisper. The older man hesitated, his gaze shifting between us, before finally giving up and retreating back into his house. With a heavy sigh of relief, Arin relaxed his grip on my hand, a small smile of gratitude spreading across his face.
As we walked away from Mr. Winslow's house, I let out a sigh of relief. My body was still trembling from the tense encounter with Arin's father. "Your dad is fucking scary babe," I said, my voice quivering.
Arin took my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Yeah, my dad can be a bit cold to outsiders at times, but he's a good person deep down," he said with a small smile.
I couldn't help but feel a bit skeptical of his father's intentions, given his earlier outburst. But I didn't want to argue with Arin, so I simply nodded and tried to shake off the nerves that were still rattling through my body.
He leaned in closer and gave me a playful smirk. "So what made you change your mind about going to prom?" he asked, his eyes glinting mischievously in the light. His tone was teasing, almost daring me to give him a witty response. I couldn't help but smile back at him, feeling a warmth spread through my chest.
I laughed nervously, unsure how to answer his question. His eyes sparkled mischievously, waiting for my response.
"Well?" he prodded, a playful tone in his voice.
I hesitated, then blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Todd told me not to give up on that amazing butt of yours," I joked, expecting him to roll his eyes or playfully punch me.
Instead, he looked genuinely surprised. "Really? Todd said that?"
I shrugged, feeling suddenly self-conscious. "Yeah, I was going to bail on prom, but he convinced me to go with you. Of course the big ass part wasn't the reason I was convinced."
His expression softened, and he gave me a grateful smile. "Well, looks like I owe him one. I really want to go with you."
We walked to the school in comfortable silence, enjoying the crisp evening air.