Chapter Twenty-Nine

{Chapter Twenty-Nine}

As I suspected I barely got sleep last night. After dropping Ian off and having a scary talk with his scary father telling me scary things, I went home. But I couldn't sleep. I fell asleep, had a bad dream, woke up, went back to sleep, woke up. It continued like that the entire night. I think I got a most of maybe four or five hours of sleep if I round up.

And school, despite my boredom of it, goes by way too quickly than I would like, I'd really rather prolong the day. Lydia of course gives me a present and a cupcake, singing happy birthday to me. She gave me a DVD, and a music gift card from Jess who's still out sick.

It all went by far too fast though and here I am, with Ian in my car while Jer walks out of his house. I contemplated telling Jer not to come as it might be better, especially when telling my parents. But the whole point of this is so we can be together freely so Jer has to be here, as long as he's okay with it which he's assured me numerous times throughout the day when I messaged him that he wants to be there. He gets in the back after locking his car and squeezes my shoulder in reassurance.

"It'll be okay, love." He murmurs and I sigh, feeling Ian's hand cover mine on the gearshift in comfort.

"I hope so," I mutter, pulling away from Jer's house and driving towards Ian's. We decided it's best to start with his because I get the feeling they already know what's going on, or at the very least suspect. Plus I know Owen is going to want to meet Jer. Though, it's also kind of a way to put off telling my parents. I'm so nervous I left the house for school an hour before I had to so I wouldn't bump into either of them.

I park in front of Ian's large house, his plush green lawn coming back quite nice for Spring. I turn off my car, run a hand through my hair and bite my lip.

"Come on," Ian urges, leaving the car. I sigh, glancing in the rear view mirror at Jer who smiles at me in reassurance but I see the nerves in his golden eyes. I don't comment though, instead I get out of the car with Jer behind. I lock her up and catch up to Ian who is almost at his door already.

Jeez, for a kid who's almost always nervous, he doesn't seem nervous to tell his dads that he's in a relationship with two guys. He walks right into the house without hesitation and I honestly envy his confidence at the moment.

I link my fingers with Jer's and lead him into Ian's house. I close the door behind us while Ian leads the way to the living room where his dads are sitting in silence. Haiden is reading a book while Owen is reading some papers with a blue pen hanging from his lips. He pulls the pen from his mouth and circles something on the paper before Ian clears his throat. Haiden looks up in surprise but Owen doesn't look away from the papers.

"I was wondering when this day would come." Owen states and I laugh despite myself. His unamused bright green eyes bore into me but I don't reply. His eyes move back to the papers and makes a mark with the pen on them again.

"Dad, this is Jer. He's uh, with us." Ian pauses, a blush moving from his neck to the tips of his ears. "I mean, not with us as in our friend, he's um..." He trails, clearing his throat. "In a relationship with us. A romantic relationship. Like, polyamorous. That's the right term, right?" he whispers the question at me and I nod so he nods.

"Polyamorous. Yep, that's what it is. I hope you're okay with it because I'm happy and I don't want you guys to be mad. I mean, they make me really happy. And uh..." He shifts from foot to foot as he tries to continue to ramble but I think for once his nerves aren't allowing him to ramble. Not much anyway. Owen puts his papers on the table while Haiden closes his book.

"Do they really make you happy? Do they promise to take care of you?" Owen demands, looking between Jer and I. We both nod in assurance but he continues to stare between us. "You realize my son is seventeen for the next four months?" Jer nods.

"Yes sir, but I have not and do not intend to have sexual contact with your son while he's still underage." Jer replies calmly but his hand clutches mine tighter. Owen stares at Jer for a few minutes before rolling his eyes.

"Sure you won't. Look, I love my son more than anything else in the world, even more than my husband--"

"Hey," Haiden interrupts him but Owen simply leans in to kiss Haiden briefly before continuing as if nothing happened.

"I love him to death, I would gladly die for him over and over. And if he gets hurt, I get pissed. Which is why I would never do anything to take away his happiness, I'll always try to keep him happy within reason." He says in closing. Haiden rolls his eyes, looking between the three of us.

"He's giving you his blessing in his roundabout way. But do be advised that if either of you hurt my son, I will do worse then simply shoot you with my twelve gauge shotgun as my husband would do. But as long as you keep my son happy, I'm happy." Haiden explains with a smile. Owen grumbles about how Haiden is always ruining his fun but they don't say much more. They have us stay for a bit so they can interrogate Jer but eventually we manage to stand to leave.

To my house we go.

I shudder at the thought as Ian hugs both his dads. It makes me smile to see big bad Owen melting into a big teddy bear when he hugs Ian, his lips pulled into a soft smile while he ruffles Ian's hair. Then we leave. I drive five miles under the speed limit to prolong the talk with my parents. Sure, Ian's were okay with it, but they're different. They're more accepting than mine, and I know because of Ian's past that they care even more to make him happy.

Much to my horror I somehow get to my house faster than I thought I would. I nearly groan at that but instead turn the car off and get out with Ian and Jer. I move over to the lawn, lacing my shaking fingers with Jer's and I realize he's shaking as well, but he looks much calmer than I'm sure I do. I reach out for Ian's hand and clasp his in mine, he's not shaking but I can tell he's nervous. And I know why. This is the real thing.

And I'm so nervous, my stomach is tying itself in knots, making me nauseous. Nevertheless we walk up to my front door and I drop both their hands, knowing it would be best not to walk in there flaunting our relationship. Holding hands would be just as bad as coming in with rainbow signs and chanting some weird but catchy chant.

I walk into the house with them behind me and hope my parents are in the living room. They should be because they spend a couple hours each day in the living room after work before they clean the house or make dinner. Thankfully both of them are in the room. Dad is watching a show called Cops, something I grew up with and though I didn't like it for a while, I grew a fondness to it. Mom is half watching the TV, half reading something on her phone.

"Uhm, Mom, Dad." I call and they look over to me. Mom's eyes fill in confusion when they land on Jer.

"Jeremiah, what are you doing here? Levy, what's wrong?" Mom demands in utter confusion. I feel my body tremble more and I feel my eyes sting but I ignore it, wondering how Ian was so calm when telling his parents.

"Mom, Dad. I have to tell you guys something and I don't want you to get mad. Please." I add. They nod but it doesn't give me a lot of reassurance.

"Of course, what's wrong? Honey, why is Jeremiah with you?" she adds, sounding so utterly confused.

"He's with me. Us. I mean, we," I motion to Ian, Jer, and myself. "We're together." I add.

She still looks confused though.

"Together? What do you mean?" she asks. My eyes move to my father's, and he looks slightly less confused. Then her eyes widen but I clarify nonetheless.

"We're in a relat--"

"No," she snaps, standing quickly and her eyes snap from mine to Jer's, determined anger potent in her eyes. She makes a move towards Jer but Dad quickly grabs her wrist to keep her from moving.

"Sheryl, you can't attack him." I barely hear Dad whisper into her ear. She growls and clenches her hands into fists as she glares at us.

"Levy, honey, I understand if Jeremiah pressured you into this. I understand. Just tell me he did." She adds, practically pleads. I shake my head though, taking a step back so I'm between Ian and Jer. Ian immediately takes my hand to link our fingers and Jer hesitantly does the same.

"He didn't pressure me into this. I wanted this. I love them." I reply honestly and despite hoping for the best, I can see the decision in her eyes.

"Get out of my house right now." She orders. I stare at her in horror. Of all the worst outcomes I thought of, this wasn't one of them, this never crossed my mind.

"Mom," I choke just as my dad calls her name. She rips free of my dad's grip and moves across the room faster than he can react. I take a step foreword, moving protectively in front of both Ian and Jer in case she tries something. But she stops in front of me with a firm glare in place.

"You're not welcome here anymore. When you decide to quit this sick relationship, if that's what you want to call it, then you can come home. But as long as you continue to live like this, you aren't welcome in my home. And you," she turns her glare to Jer. "You make me sick. Expect my resignation letter on your desk tomorrow morning. I hope you realize before it's too late that this isn't right. Now all of you, get out of my house." She growls. I see my dad over her shoulder, looking so conflicted, but I don't expect him to stand up to my mom. I know he loves me, and that's all I care about.

I nod numbly but I don't budge. Instead I bite my lip and stare into my mother's angry, disgust filled hazel eyes, the same ones that she gave to me, the same ones she looked at me with infinite love with not twenty-four hours ago.

"I love you," I say before I leave the house with Ian and Jer right behind me. I get in my car and after both of them follow suit I pull away. I drive but I don't know where I'm going. Eventually after a good ten minutes of silent driving, mostly around the block, I stop at a stop sign. I stare ahead before it hits me.

I choke on a sob, putting a hand against my mouth to cover the next but it doesn't help. I can't do anything to stop the tears or sobs, or the snot. I shake and cry, realizing that my mother hates me. I don't have anywhere to go, everything is still at my house save for a few things. I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't sleep in my car, I don't have money for a hotel because I know my mother is going to cancel my card as soon as she can. Oh God, I can't do this.

"Levy," I jump in surprise when I realize Jer got out of the car and has my door open. "Love, get out. You can't drive like this. Come on." I nod shakily, trying to put the car in park but I can't seem to so Ian does it for me.

I get out and get into the back with Jer while Ian moves across the seat to drive. I cling to Jer and cry into his chest while he rubs soothing circles over my back.

"It's going to be okay, love, I promise." He whispers, kissing the top of my head and running his fingers through my hair. I can't bring myself to reply, I don't think I could if I wanted to, I can barely take breaths between the sobs.

I can't believe this happened. Was she right? Am I sick? Did I bring this onto myself?

The questions don't help, it just makes everything worse. I cling to Jer like my life preserver as my breathing comes in sharp gasps. My heartbeat accelerates as I remember my mother's words, the hate in her eyes.

What am I going to do? I don't have a job. I'm still in high school. I don't have money for anything. Pretty soon I'll run out of gas and won't even have my car. Oh God. I can't believe this is happening. This can't be happening.

"Love, calm down. Take deep breaths. Come on, breathe with me." Jer murmurs, breathing in deeply as an example. I do as he says though that only calms my breathing, I still can't stop crying. "It's going to be okay, love." He whispers, kissing the top of my head before my car stops.

"Come on, babe." I hear Ian soothe while Jer manages to get us out of the back without me having to let go of him. I feel Jer's arms around me and we stop for a minute, making me open my blurred eyes to see Ian pulling Jer's keys from his pocket. Then we continue to walk.

I hear a door open and close behind us followed by another opening of a door. Then I'm being sat down on something squishy, a bed, Jer's bed.

"Levy, come on, look at me." Jer orders softly and I open my eyes to see Jer and Ian in front of me. "Give me your phone and wallet then lie down."

I do as he says and shakily hand him my phone followed by my wallet. He lays the items on the bedside table and helps me lie down. Ian moves in behind me to hug me from behind while Jer slides in next to me so I can continue crying into his chest if I so choose. His black shirt is wet with tears, snot, and probably saliva, but I don't care. I clutch at him tightly and sob into his chest while both of them whisper reassurances.

Though I know they aren't sure of what they're telling me. They can't know that my mother will forgive me. They don't know any of that, they can't. But that doesn't matter because just being with them makes me feel better. It helps me calm down enough to murmur a quiet 'I love you' to each of them before I fall asleep.