Always and Forever

Chapter 2

Mathew rushed down the silent halls of Ferdon Valley high School; he had gotten a really late start this morning. He had been really lucky his dad was already gone for work or he would have gotten it for being late, he already had a bruise on his hip and his cheek he didn’t need more. Mathew only looked up when he ran into something hard and vaguely human shaped. He found himself looking into the sneering face of Marshal Thompson, his old best friend before he came out. Now it seemed that the boy lived for nothing more than to make him miserable. Marshal held out his arm blocking Mathew’s path. “Where ya going, Mat?”

“Please not today Marshal, I’m really late for English.” Mathew said pushing Marshal’s arm out of his way, marshal pushed him back causing Mathew to stumble a bit.

“Now that wasn’t nice, Mat, I just wanted to talk. We used to talk before you started fucking that fairy.”

“Just get the hell out of my way Marshal I have to get to class.” Mathew said, pushing past Marshal. Marshal grabbed Mathew’s shoulder, pulled his arm back and pushed Mathew to the ground.

“Nice talking to you, Mat.” Marshal said as he walked away smirking. Mathew groaned as he pulled himself up and got to his feet, he would surely be late for English now. He ran down the deserted hallway his steps echoing strangely off the walls.

He pushed open the door to his English class causing his English teacher, Ms. Langston, a young woman in her early twenties with red-brown hair, to look up from her desk. “You’re late Mr. Brendon.” She said disapprovingly

“I know. I’m sorry, Ms. Langston.” Mathew murmured, looking at his feet, shifting uncomfortably.

“Just take a seat Mathew.” She said pointing to his desk. Mathew slid into his seat and glared at the board in front of him. He had always thought that Marshal was someone he would be friends with for a long time; they had actually been very close before Mathew had told him he was gay. They had been friends since freshman year and Mathew had trusted him a lot, things had turned out so differently for himself than he had expected. He never would have thought the other boy would come to despise him so deeply for something he had no control over, but then again he never would have guessed that he’d be friends with people like Damien or Bomber, who was Damien’s best friend. She was loud, hyper and sometimes very hard to deal with. Before he would have considered them weird and not worthy of his attention, but who really was when you were one of the most popular people in the school hierarchy? Things had changed so much, but pretty much for the better.

Mathew was brought out of his thoughts to the sound of a light snore from behind him, he turned around to see Bomber sleeping and her desk behind him, her long bubblegum pink hair splayed out around her. Mathew always forgot they were in the same English class; she either ditched or was asleep so it was easy to miss her presence. Somehow though, she managed to get the highest grade in the class, which was one of those things that made Bomber who she was.

Mathew amused himself by throwing little pieces of paper at her head to wake her but only succeeded in getting them caught in her unruly locks. He would never have done this a few months ago, at first the girl had disapproved of his relationship with Damien, claiming that a person like him was only out to hurt Damien. Later on she had finally realized Mathew’s true intentions and accepted him into her tight group of friends. Once Bomber decides to like someone she doesn’t do it half way, she treats anyone she has clamed as a friend with love, care, and acceptance. She and Damien are both like that, they completely ignore the people that don’t accept them; but to the people they are close to, they are fiercely loyal. One of the endless ways they were different than Mathew’s old friends. Bomber’s emerald green eyes cracked open and she pulled herself up from her desk.

“What in the name of all that is good do you think you’re doing, you foul little creature?”

“I’m dreadfully sorry milady but you must wake up, the bell’s going to ring in like 10 seconds.”

“You needn’t have waked me; I could have simply awoken with the bell, whelp.” She grumbled before unfolding herself from her chair and ran her fingers through her hair. She was built like a dancer; gracefully tall and thin. The ball rang and she slung her bag over her shoulder and left the room. Mathew headed off to chemistry, while Bomber walked off in the other direction to the theatre for drama.

Bomber dropped herself into the seat next to Damien in the back of their drama classroom. “Hast thou seen thy love yet this morn, little brother?” she said poking Damien’s nose as he turned to face her.

“No, not yet is there something wrong with him, lea?” He asked using Bomber’s real name, his eyes showing concern for his boyfriend.

“A great dark bruise mars his cheek and he arrived very late for class.” She said waiting for her friend’s reaction to the news.

“Not again.” Damien grumbled, holding his head in his hands feeling guilty for sending Mathew home late and leaving him to face his father. Damien would definitely have to take Mathew home with him after school so he could relax without having to be worried about being yelled at. He also had to remember to send him home before seven so he could beat his father home and not get in trouble.

Mr. Stevens, their drama teacher, walked to the front of the classroom and held up a hand motioning for silence. “Class quiet down, today I will announce the cast for out winter show; Romeo and Juliet. Playing the part of Romeo will be Damien Bellazi and playing Juliet will be Bomber.” It still amused Damien that Mr. Stevens had taken to calling Bomber by her nickname, but since she protested to anyone but Damien called her Lea it really wasn’t surprising. “The cast list is in the back and anyone else who tried out will find their parts posted there.” Damien was exited at the prospect of playing Romeo. Despite the fact he had been doing theatre for years, he was still surprised every time he got a lead.

Damien still had an ecstatic smile on his face as he made his way to lunch after the class had been dismissed. He found Mathew at their usual table picking at his school provided lunch with a plastic fork. Damien wrapped his arms around the older boy’s shoulders and pulled him up to hug him. “I got the lead!” Damien said with a bright smile lighting his face. Mathew hugged him hard, he was proud of his boyfriend. Damien really deserved the part, he was a great actor.

“Like you weren’t going to get it, you are amazing on stage. You seem so alive and comfortable, I don’t know how you do that; I would be so nervous I’m not too great in front of people.” Mathew said enjoying Damien’s beautiful smile.

“When I’m on stage it just feel right, you know? Like it’s where I belong and I’m part of something bigger. What do you mean you aren’t good in front or people you played lacrosse for two years?”

“That’s different, it’s a game I don’t think about the crowd just the ball and the other players.”

“It’s pretty much the same for me, you know. It’s all about reacting to the other actors, and the blocking, and remembering lines. The audience pretty much fades away and all that’s left is the character and how they feel.”

“It’s awesome that you have something like that.” Mathew said and went back to poking his food. Damien looked at the unappetizing stringy mess, that looked to be swimming in grease, it looked really disgusting.

“You know you could eat at my house after school so you wouldn’t have to eat that…what is that anyway?”

“I think its meat.” Mathew said grimacing in disgust.

“Thank goodness I’m a vegetarian, that’s really gross please don’t eat it.”

“It’s probably not that bad.” Mathew said picking up a forkful of the stuff.

“Eat that, and I am not kissing you for the rest of the day, I’m serious.” Damien said with a mock glare.

“Okay fine, but you’d better have leftovers at your house.” Mathew said getting up to dump his tray in the trash and then sitting back in his spot next to Damien.

“Momma made lasagna last night; we have plenty left so you can have some of that with me.” Damien said craving more of his mom’s cheese lasagna; it was his favorite food ever.

“Ooh, I love your mom’s lasagna; did she make garlic bread too?” Mathew said smiling; he loved Damien’s mom’s cooking.

“Yes she did.” Damien said, laughing at his boyfriend, the two things Mathew was passionate about were lacrosse and food. Well, those and Damien, but that didn’t count.

Later that day, Mathew and Damien were walking in a comfortable silence to Damien’s house with Damien‘s arm casually draped across Mathew’s shoulders. Damien looked at the bruise on Mathew’s cheek; he brushed his fingers lightly over the dark spot and frowned.

“Did he do this to you, baby?” Damien asked softly, knowing that Mathew didn’t like to talk about how his dad treated him.

“I-it’s not what you think, he just kind of shoved me and I tripped and fell into a table. It’s my fault really.” Mathew stammered nervously, he hated talking about his dad he didn’t want Damien to think he was weak for letting his dad hurt him. Damien stopped walking and looked Mathew in the eyes.

“He shouldn’t do things like that to you. You don’t deserve to be hurt by anyone, you hear me? You shouldn’t let him do this to you.” Mathew looked up; Damien did think he was weak. He thought he should be able to stop his dad.

“It’s really not his fault you know. It’s been hard for him since mom…and it’s been really stressful at work.” Mathew said shifting nervously, his eyes downcast. Damien wrapped his arms around Mathew’s shoulders, holding him closely.

“I love you, I love you, I love you.” whispered Damien into Mathew’s shoulder. “Come on Matty, we can talk about this later.” They walked the rest of the way to Damien’s with Mathew’s arm around Damien’s waist and Damien’s arm around Mathew’s shoulders.

As they walked through Damien’s front door a bouncing six year old launched herself into Mathew’s arms. “Mafew!” The little brown haired girl screeched, grabbing onto Mathew’s shirt.

“Hi Emma, honey. How are you today?” he said bouncing the little girl in his arms.

“Good. I got a loose tooth, see?” she said grinning widely and wiggling one of her front teeth.

“I see, you know what that means right? You’re getting to be a big girl.”

“Yup, that’s what Momma said too.” Said the exited first-grader. Damien watched the whole exchange between Mathew and his sister with what he was sure was a stupid grin plastered on his face, Mathew was so amazing with his little sister. Damien was happy at how well Mathew got along with his family. His mom and his sister were two of the most important people in his life, they were all the family he had since his dad had died just after Emma was born.

“Where is Momma, Emma?” Mathew said looking around for the short dark-haired woman.

“I’m right here.” Said Damien’s mom, walking out of the kitchen. “Hello boys, how was school?” asked the smiling Italian woman, taking Emma from Mathew’s arms.

“Fine.” Mathew and Damien said in unison, laughing as they realized they had spoken at the same time.

“It’s so nice to see you Mathew,” Mrs. Bellazi said putting Emma down and hugging Mathew tightly “you really don’t come around here enough and your getting to thin. Do you just not eat unless you’re here or something?” Mathew smiled; it felt kind of nice to be fussed over like this, it made him feel loved. He went over to tug on Damien’s sleeve. Damien looked over to Mathew, who blinked up at him.

“Food.” Mathew chirped. Damien smiled and grabbed Mathew’s hand.

“Oh right, we didn’t eat lunch so I promised Mathew some lasagna, we have some left right?” Damien said to his mom.

“Yes, dear it’s in the fridge, want me to warm it up for you?”

“No it’s okay Momma, I’ll do it. You go sit down okay, you look tired.” Damien said gesturing toward the couch.

“Thanks honey. It was a really long day at work and I have to go back later.” Damien’s mom was a nurse and she often had to work very long shifts. Damien pulled Mathew into the kitchen and told him to sit down at the table. He pulled open the fridge and took out the container holding the lasagna and put it into the microwave. Damien leaned across the table and pressed a soft kiss to Mathew’s lips.

“I love you.” he whispered running his fingers through Mathew’s hair.

“Love you too.” Mathew replied with a smile. He felt so comfortable here; he wished he didn’t have to leave. Being around Damien’s family made him feel so happy, like he belonged. Then again, just being around Damien made him feel like he belonged, and he did; he belonged to Damien.