7. Fraud

Chase.

✙ ☠ ✙

I close the door behind me as I make my way into the house. I'm staying at mom's this week and visiting my dad later today.

"Chase, is that you?" My mom calls.

"Yeah, it's me!" I yell back. I make my way up the stairs.

"Hold on, honey." I turn around.

"I feel like I haven't seen you in ages." She opens her arms.

I come back down and embrace her.

"You haven't been home much lately." I smell her hair. It smells just like Loren's, like cherry.

"I know.." She muses. She pulls away. "I've been having issues with Marco."

I roll my eyes. I hate my stepdad. It seems he won't be my stepdad for much longer so that's good.

She sighs.

"We should have some alone time. Just you and me." She smiles.

That actually makes me happy, we never get to hang out alone. "I'd love that!"

"There's a charity event next week. Why don't we go together?"

My shoulders slump.

Of course she meant 'Just you, me and a bunch of cameras'. I sigh.

"Sure." I say listlessly before going back up the stairs.

Why do I keep thinking she cares about me? The only thing she cares about is how she looks to others. 'The perfect mom and her perfect son spending the day feeding the poor' such bullshit.

I slam the door to my room and jump on the bed.

Stranger85: u free to call now?

My heart starts to beat intensely.

Chaser49: yeah

My phone starts ringing soon after.

"Calm down, it's just a guy. Just a guy." I repeat to myself.

I pick up.

"H-hey." I say.

"Hi Chase!" He sounds very excited.

"Uh.. I'm glad you could call." I play with the cord of my hoodie.

"Of course! I'm happy to talk to you. You have a beautiful voice!" The guy raves.

"Oh, thank you." I chuckle nervously.

"So, tell me about your day." He has a British accent.

I sigh.

"Was it that bad?" He asks.

"No.. I guess technically it was good, it's just.. I don't think I like girls.. And I'm sort of dating one. On accident."

"Oh no."

"Yeah, she's really sweet and I do like her.. I just wish I could like her romantically, you know?"

"So you think you're gay?"

"Probably. And that's horrible because my mom is totally christian and she would never accept me.."

"I'll accept you. Hey, I will always be there for you. I want you to know that."

I smile. "You're really sweet."

"I'm just happy to talk to you. I think you're a great person and, don't worry about the whole girlfriend thing. When I was your age I was doing the same thing."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I had a girlfriend and then in the weekends I'd meet up with guys. It's totally normal."

"Oh. That makes me feel kind of better.." But isn't it really messed up, though?

"Yeah, it's nothing to be ashamed of. You know that's actually how most people in the gay community start out. It's also not weird if there's an age gap or something— Totally normal."

"Right.." I mean, Sky was meeting people at bars. I can assume they weren't his age. I read some comments on Read/it that said the same thing.

"I just feel so different from everyone. I'm pretending to be like them but I just feel like a total fraud."

"Guess what? It's high school, EVERYONE's a total fraud!"

I laugh.

"Everyone's pretending to be something they're not. That's how it works. But I'm the one person you can be real with. You can totally be yourself with me, Chase. You can trust me."

"Thanks."

We keep talking for another two hours. TWO HOURS! I can't believe I would talk to someone new for such a long time. He's made me feel so much better about how I am at school and stuff. I totally felt like a psycho before but with him I finally feel understood and normal for a change.

Sky.

✙ ☠ ✙

I watch Rose as she sits on my mom's lap. My mom leans down and kisses the top of her head. Life is so good. My mom is doing so much better, it's astounding. Not only is she there for me but also for my daughter. We're visiting Steven at his house. Chase is also here but he's been super busy texting. He's such a teenager. Meanwhile my mom and Steven are in deep conversation. They've really hit it off lately.

I poke Chase. "They're getting awfully close, don't you think?"

Just that moment my mom bursts out laughing at something Steve said.

Chase doesn't even look up from his phone. "Yeah totally." He mumbles while typing away.

"Who the hell are you texting?"

"No one." Chase finally looks up from his phone.

He shoves it into his pocket.

"What's with you?" I ask, suspicious.

"Nothing. Just... I'm dating someone. The girl from the date, Fawn."

"No way!"

"Yeah, we're totally a thing now."

"That's great!" I'm so relieved to know he's doing better. He's completely consumed by this girl. It's so cute. Makes me feel a bit easier, knowing he's officially over me.

"Sky, I'm going to start on the cake. I could use some help." Steven says.

"Sure." I get up.

Once we're in the kitchen Steve looks really nervous as he smashes some eggs into a bowl.

"Everything okay?" I ask.

"No. It's not okay. Oh my God."

Yep. He's totally Chase and Loren's dad. They seem to have a thing for God.

"What's wrong?"

"Your mom."

I stand next to him and take the whisk out of his trembling hand.

"I think I like her."

My eyes go big.

"Really?"

"Yes!" He gives me an unsure look. "Do you hate me now?"

"Why would I hate you for liking my mom? I'm happy!"

"You are? Oh God, I was so worried! I didn't want you to think I'm trying to replace your dad or anything.."

"I don't have a dad. I only have my mom and I want her to be happy." I smile.

He sighs of relief. "The charm of that woman.." He shakes his head.

"Though I guess it runs in the family." He gives me a look.

I chuckle.

"So, what's the game plan?"

"Game plan?"

"Yeah, how are you gonna woo her? She gets bored easily so your plan better be good."

"I... I don't have a plan. Do I need a plan?"

I snort. "Yeah. A good one." I mix the eggs.

Now he looks super nervous.

I grab his shoulders. "Seriously, calm down. It's really not that hard. Start with flowers and chocolate, the basic shit and.. I don't know, sing her a song."

"I can't sing."

"Do a flash-mob."

"I can't dance." He's sweating.

"You play piano, right?"

"I used to when I was kid, but I totally unlearned all that!"

"Don't worry! I'll teach you her favorite song. She'll love it." It's actually an instrumental song that I made up one day. She heard a little bit of it from the other room and said it was her favorite song ever.

Steven seems a bit more at ease now.

My mom comes in.

"I'm hungry." She whines.

Steven freezes.

She looks at us inquisitively

"What were you two talking about?" She asks, full of suspicion.

"Nothing." I smile.