Chapter Fifty Three : Old Relations

"Dakota!" Gemma exclaimed, nearly toppling over the both of them as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Hey." He chuckled with a smile.

"Jane, your hair, it got long."

"I hadn't noticed." She said sarcastically, with a tight lipped smile.

"My hair grew too." Gemma said as she ran her fingers through it.

"Yes it did." Michael said patting her head.

"So, where were you? Because I sure as hell know you weren't at some training camp."

"I was at my uncles." He paused, meeting my eyes for a moment before continuing. "My uncle is a very strict Roman Catholic so you can guess how fun that was." He said with a chuckle but I knew it wasn't real.

"Oh god, he didn't put you through some sort of straight therapy or anything did he?" Gemma asked with a worry crease on her forehead.

"No, no. I had to repent and pray to God every hour of the day for my sins. I feel ridiculous just saying it." He shook his head. "But you know, after the first year, he laid off on me."

"Well that's good. I'm sorry you had to go through that, man." Michael said as he placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, no biggie. I'm here now." Dakota said as he swung both his arms around my neck.

"Has coach assigned you captain yet?" I asked, sneaking out of his headlock.

"Nah, I mean he offered but I haven't given an answer yet. Mostly because I want to see how you look as captain." Dakota winked at me with a playful grin.

"Man, it's good to have you back." Michael said with a beaming smile as he wrapped an arm arm the both of us, only to be joined by Jane and Gemma shortly after.

🏉

The walk home after football practice was spent in a comfortable silence as I held onto Dakota's hand tightly, not a care for the sweat that was accumulating between our two hands.

"How's your mom?" I asked as we neared closer home, both of us taking slowed steps to make the most out of it.

"She's doing better, I think. She hardly looks at me now though. I think she's mostly ashamed of herself and not so much me." I nodded.

"Because of the alcohol?"

"For my dad sending me away and not being able to do anything about it."

"Dakota Amadeo Moreau!" A gruff voice beckoned beside us, making us both jump and stop dead in our tracks.

"Get in the car, now." Mr.Moreau said sinisterly with eyes that were ready to rip my to shreds.

"You too, DeAngelis."

"Yes sir."

The ride was quiet and I didn't dare look at Dakota, afraid that if I had, Mr.Moreau would go into one of those crazed frenzies I heard so much about and crash us into an tree. My heart was beating fast and hard and I felt as if I'd pass out if it beat any faster.

What was he going to do? Beat me? Beat us both? Make me repent? A million thoughts were going through my head and all I wanted to do was run home to my parents safe embrace.

The car came to an abrupt stop outside the Moreau house. I clicked off my seatbelt and hurried out of the car, following quietly behind Dakota and Mr.Moreau as we walked into the house.

"Luka, sit. Dakota, room."

He nodded, obeying his order and retreated to his room. I bit my lip, trying my best to swallow the lump in my throat as I at down at the dining room table, avoiding Mr.Moreau's eyes.

"I thought I made things perfectly clear, and I didn't want to have to come out right and say this son. I want you to stay away from my boy, you got it?"

I remained quiet, not making so much as a peep.

"He's got big plans, big plans that you almost screwed up for him." Each word felt like a knife being driven repeatedly into my body, I thought if I stayed quiet, he'd stop and take pity on me but it only went on. It hurt, realizing that after all those years I'd known him, he was able to say such horrible things.

"I gave you a chance, and him but you just can't seem to get it through your head that Dakota does not like men and you keep pulling him back in this, thing, that you need to deal with. Don't you want him to be successful, son?"

"I'm not your fucking son." I said as I stood up, my entire body shaking with both anger and anxiety, nearly on the verge of tears.

"I don't give a damn what you or anyone else has to say about Dakota and me being together because whether you like it or not, we are going to be together and no matter where you send him, I'll wait for him. For months, years, a fucking century if I have to. You can't keep us apart, Tony."

He sat, stunned with his mouth agape with eyes as wide is the moon. I turned around and walked out the door and as I closed the door behind me, I let out a deepened breath that I hadn't realized I was holding in. My body was trembling as I walked across the street to my house, wondering if Mr.Moreau would come out and beat my to a pulp. He'd never been violent but people changed. I quickly shut my front door behind me and dropped to my knees and before I could stop myself, the hysteric sobs had already left my mouth.

"Luka?" My mother's voice asked from the living room, it wasn't long before she was sitting beside me, her embrace had never felt so warm and comforting. "What happened?"

"Mr.Moreau." I sobbed, unable to form any other words but those ones.

"Did he hurt you?"

I shook my head, wiping the tears away from my cheeks. "No, I-I stood up to him."

"Oh, hun." She said with a smile that lit up her face.

🏉

As I paced in my room I'd wondered if I'd see Dakota at school on Monday. I tried my utmost best to stay as calm as possible without jumping to conclusions. I'd managed to calm down enough to where my head was in a stable state of mind. Maybe I shouldn't had said anything to Mr.Moreau and kept my mouth shut. I sighed and sat on the edge of my bed, looking back at my window, waiting for him to show. There was a knock at my door that made me jump, swinging open before I could answer.

"We're throwing a par-tay, babe. Sans alcohol of course." Gemma said with a wink as she walked in, dressed to the nine's like it was prom.

"And where's golden boy?" Jane followed in behind her.

"Uh, can't do this right now."

"Why not?" Gemma pouted as she sat beside me.

"Mr.Moreau showed up as Dakota and I were walking home."

"What!?" They exclaimed in unison.

"He drove us to his house and he went on and on about me messing up Dakota's future and staying away and calling me son." I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck.

"And so I said a few things to him."

"Maybe he'll finally come to his senses now that you've said something!" Gemma said. I nodded, wanting to believe her words.

"Let's go." Jane said as she opened my bedroom door.

"Where?"

"To get Dakota."

🏉

"We're actually doing this?" I asked as we tiptoe'd along the side of Dakota's house, wanting to turn back home.

"What if we get caught?"

"Luka."

"Sorry."

"This one, right?" Jane asked as she knocked on his bedroom window. I nodded, before scoping out the coast, fearful that'd Mr.Moreau would be standing behind us.

"What are you guys doing here?" He asked with a wide smile and his head stuck out.

"We're breaking you out, now let's go!" Gemma said in a hushed whisper.

"Usually I'm the one getting us into mischief." He said as he started climbing out, speaking my thoughts. We watched as his feet landed softly on the grass with ease. "Thanks for the help." He smirked. "So, where we headed?"

"Party. No alcohol." I said as we had started the walk to Jane's.

As we neared closer to Jane's house, it was becoming quite obvious that it was a party with alcohol. The mere observation of drunk teenagers loitering outside, taking turns puking in the bushes gave it away, along with music that was too loud for sober ears.

"Jane, I thought you said no alcohol." I turned to her as we walked up the steps of her house.

"There isn't supposed to be." Her brows had furrowed as she pushed up her glasses and stormed into the house.

"Gemma, what'd you do?"

"Nothing. I just, might've, tweeted about it.." She said as her eyes avoided mine.

"Are you going to be okay?" I shouted to Dakota over the music.

"Yeah." He nodded. I shook my head and pushed my way through the crowd, looking for the source of the music to turn it off with Dakota following close behind.

"Hi, boys."

"Queenie, great. Why wouldn't you be here." I rolled my eyes before turning around. She'd looked the same, only her eyes seemed to had gotten bigger.

"Is that anyway to treat an old friend?" She pouted her red lips.

"Friend? Lady you almost slept with my boyfriend." She shrugged with a tight lipped grin.

"Well, loved catching up, we should do it again sometime."

"See you in college, boys." She winked with a mischievous smile and a look her eyes I couldn't quite figure out, I wasn't sure if I had wanted to. I wasn't angry at Gemma, but I was angry at Gemma. We'd made our way into the living room where I'd hoped I would find the stereo but to no avail, instead I'd spotted Alex. He was sat on the couch, wearing his old Warriors varsity jacket with a beer in his hand.

"Turn, run, go." I said to Dakota, not wanting to be seen by Alex.

"What?" He asked, pointing his ear towards me.

"Alex is here."

"What?"

"Alex is-"

"DeAngelis! Moreau!" Alex said as he stood behind me before wrapping an arm around the two of us. He reeked of booze and cigarettes, it wasn't until I was closer that I'd spotted his five o'clock shadow as it rubbed against my face, making me itchy.

"Alex, what the hell are you doing here?" I asked as I managed to get out of his hold.

"Just here to welcome back the best damn quarterback in town." He slurred as he pinched Dakota's cheek, spilling beer all over the place, including on Dakota.

"I even supplied the alcohol."

"You're the one that brought the beer?"

"Hell yeah." He grinned.

"Leave, now."

"But we're having so much fun!" He chuckled stupidly.

"Besides-" He paused, releasing his hold on Dakota and coming closer to me.

"I wanted to ask.." I could barely hear his voice as he closed in on me.

"When did you know?"

"Know what?"

"You liked boys?"

My eyes widened in shock as I slowly back away from Alex, frozen as I stared at him, waiting for him to tell me he was joking. Perhaps he was too wasted to realize what he was saying, people did that, right? But he only teetered back and forth, waiting for my answer.

"Alex-"

The music had been shut off abruptly, the crowd of teenagers groaned in unison like a herd of cows. "Everyone get the hell out of my house!" Jane's voice echoed off the walls, making my ears ring. Alex opened his mouth to speak but instead of words coming out, vomit did, all over my shirt. My stomach felt uneasy as the smell hit my nose.

"Sorry, bud." He patted my shoulder and walked past by me, following the crowd out.

"Fuck."

🏉

Jane had lent me one of her father's shirts from the 80's, the words STYX sprawled across the top of it. I stood at the bathroom sink, trying to get the vomit out, trying not to vomit myself. It wasn't any use, I'd have to chuck it. I sighed and threw it in a plastic bag Jane had gave to me and tied it up before making my way downstairs.

"Well, that shirt is no longer in commission." I said with a sigh as I threw it in the trash can.

"I'll buy you another." Dakota winked as his arms snaked around my waist.

"Sorry guys." Gemma said with a pout as she sat on living room couch. Jane smiled, setting down the broom and making her way over to Gemma.

"Everyone makes mistakes." She said as she wrapped an arm around her and holding her tight.

"Best welcome back party, ever." Dakota chuckled.

A/N vote, comment and let me know what you think! i tried to make it long without rushing it. what do you think of alex? who made alex want to like men? tell me your theories! also i have midterms so updates may be slow!