Chapter 33
1723words
"It was supposed to be innocent, I just wanted to know if I was going crazy or if I was actually going gay for my coach. Anyway, I followed him home and I saw that he had a partner no one knew about.
The coach was gay," I look at Gentry, "he caught me parked across the
street and reported me to the school, but I didn't get in trouble... he did." Oh god the more I think about this story the more I hate myself "What happened to him?"
"He got fired for hiding the fact that he was gay, and my dad somehow convinced the school that he messed with my head, and made me follow him so he could turn me gay," I smile in disbelief as I relive that. "My fucking dad caused them to blame him for everything, even
though I told him it was my fault and the coach didn't do anything. After that everyone at school pretty much hated me and I lost all my friends, well except for Pen."
"Holy shit Shane," I can tell he wasn't expecting that "I know, I'm fucking awful for letting that happen"
"No" Gentry walks to me and gets on a knee in front of me so we can be at the same eye level, "your dad's the fucking awful one, you were a confused kid you didn't know any better"
"I stalked my coach, I should've known better"
"Shane I spent four years of high school being in love with my Spanish teacher, Miss Esperanza" he smirks after saying her name. "That lady changed me... anyway a few friends and I found her Facebook and created a fake account to hit on her"
"You catfished your Spanish teacher?"
He nods chuckling, "for like a year too... we all do stupid shit when we're young, you can't let your dad keep using this as an excuse to beat you down."
"He knows how I feel about it and he asked anyway," shutting my eyes I take a breath, "I hate it here."
"I'm starting to get that," getting up Gentry sits next to me, bringing an arm around my shoulder he tried to comfort me, "I know it's Thanksgiving but if you want to make a break for it, I won't mind spending my thanksgiving at the dorms."
"You'd be ok with leaving?" I turn to him and he nods, with his eyes in mine we continue to stare at each other until it turns into a moment, a real moment between us since everything that's happened. But it quickly ends when my door is abruptly pushed open
"WHO MISSED—" Pen stops when she walks in and sees Gentry's arm around me, "me..." she finishes her sentence staring at us confused.
"Holy shit you're finally here!" I jump rushing to her, "thank fuck!" We hug each other tightly "13-hour flight so I'm kind of disoriented," she says as I let go
"When'd you get in?"
"Late last night," she answers and I can tell her interests aren't on me, rather than what's behind me... or who I should say. "What are you doing here?" She asks Gentry who stands
"Be nice," I mumble to her and she looks at me
"Did you just tell me to be nice to the guy that almost killed my best friend?" Dropping my head I sigh preparing for the dramatics. "Gentry right?"
He nods "you're the girl always on his screen," Gentry smiles.
Both Gentry and I watch her open her bag then start to frantically ruffle through it, "what are you—" I try to ask but she just shushes me and continues to look through her purse.
Getting frustrated Pen opens her bag flipping it upside down causing everything to fall out. "Aha!" She yells then bends down picking up a small ball, "see this?" She holds the ball up to Gentry's face, "while I'm here in the next couple of days at any moment expect this to the face. It's no baseball but I can still make it hurt"
"You promise?" He smiles
"Is he— are you patronizing me? I will murder you with my bare hands all right don't test me"
"All right" I finally step in, "I think the jetlag is making you a little nuts Pen, come on" I drag her out of my room. "What are you doing?" I ask quietly leaving Gentry in my room alone
"What am I doing? What are you doing? Why's he here?"
"It's a long story— but short version, our coach said if we don't get along and come back friends, we're both off the team."
"Oy" she reacts and I nod, shrugging she adds, "well you have to be his friend I don't. One wrong move and I'm taking out his eye for giving my best friend a boo-boo," she comes closer kissing the cheek where I got hurt, even though the bruise is completely gone now.
"Also why are you shirtless and why was he hugging you?"
"Doesn't matter, go bother my mom we'll be down in a second" she nods, "and pick up all your shit off my floor later!"
"Maybe," she heads for the stairs
Going back to my room I find Gentry staring at the shelves with my trophies and pictures, grabbing my shirt from the bed I put it on and he turns to me. "I like her, she's protective of you"
"Yeah, she's the only reason I made it through high school in one piece."
"You know," Gentry turns to face me as he talks, "I'm surprised you didn't tell your parents"
"My mom knows what happened she just doesn't know it's you, and my dad... just doesn't care." Following me out of my room as we're heading downstairs Gentry asks, "I know she probably means
no real harm, but should I be worried about Pen?" "I'd be if I were you," I reply walking ahead
But I hear his sigh as he mumbles, "great."
Walking into the kitchen we hear my mom as she's talking to Pen, "no you can't have Thanksgiving dinner with us, Pennsylvania, your mom has been going on and on about you being home, I know for a fact she'll want you there tonight."
"Wait—" Gentry stops and we all turn to him, looking at Pen he asks, "your name is Pennsylvania?"
My eyes grow at him trying to hint not to ask that, but I'm too late. "My parents are old hippies from California who went out East and fell in love with Hershey Park," I look at Pen as she calmly explains surprised she's not throwing a fit, she hates when people ask about her name. Looking at me she shrugs, "I've spent the last 4 months explaining it to everyone at school, I'm over it now."
"Good for you," I walk over stroking her shoulder. "Still wouldn't ask about it anymore though," I say to Gentry.
Heading to my backyard we all sit in the chairs by the covered pool, both Gentry and Pen are on their phones and I'm stuck in the middle with absolutely no one to text, because the only person I would be texting is already here.
"I love quality time," I say a bit bitter by them ignoring me
"Sorry," Gentry quickly looks up, "Julia's just telling me about all the crazy shit happening back home"
Looking at Pen I wait for her excuse, she seems reluctant to say but talks anyway, "Kylan texted me" "Kylan Fogerty, why?" I ask confused
"Some kids from our grade are planning a tailgate tomorrow night before everyone has to go back to school,"
"Oh," of course they are and of course I didn't know about it, "are you going?"
"I was planning on it, some of the girls are going to be there," I always try to remember I wasn't her only friend. "The only reason I didn't tell you sooner was because I knew you wouldn't want to go, and I wasn't going to force you."
"Okay," I just nod dropping the rest of it. I couldn't wait to put high school behind me so she's right I don't want to go to some stupid reunion months later to be treated the same way.
"Do you want to go?" I hear Gentry's voice ask as I'm lost in thought
Turning to him I'm trying to register the question but Pen answers for me, "no, Shane hates everyone from school"
"I don't hate anyone—" "Collin Avery,"
"That's different—" "Danika Stice,"
"Ok yes but—"
"And you didn't like anyone who worshiped the ground they walked on, when you add it all up that's pretty much everyone. You hated everyone"
"Well, I've grown! And none of those people mean anything to me, so I don't hate them.... anymore"
"Yeah Shane only hates one person now, and that's me so everyone else needs to get in line," looking at Gentry I chuckle at his dumb joke and he laughs a little . Turning to Pen I find her scolding us and we quickly stop laughing.
"Are Collin and Danika going to be there?"
"Maybe, or maybe Danika will think she's too classy for a tailgate and stay home keeling over with regret. But what does it matter anyway you're not going"
"I don't know," I shrug deciding, "maybe I will go" "Seriously?" She sits up with a grin
Nodding "not everyone in our grade was a dick, Kylan was nice. But I'll only go if Gentry comes with"
We both look at him waiting for a response, smiling he replies, "wherever you are that's where I want to be, so sure I'm in."
Quickly looking away so I don't blush I hear Pen say, "awww saying cute shit isn't going to get you out of the dog house, genti"
"It's Gentry, Pennsylvania," he corrects with a smirk "I—"
"Food's ready!" My mom yells from the kitchen door cutting Pen off, "Pennsylvania honey it's time
for you to get home"
Gentry laughs as we're all standing up, "never going to get used to that," he shakes his head "Shane tell your boyfriend to count his fucking days,"
"He's not—" before I can finish she walks away heading inside before us.
