29I just realized that my anonymous reviews were disabled which upsets me, I always hate it when authors don't allow anonymous reviews. I'm really sorry to anybody who tried to review and couldn't because of that.
Love To Hate YouChapter Two
"Tommy!" I greet, throwing my arms around my brother's neck. He lifts me off the ground and swings me in a circle, like he used to do when I was six.
"Uhn, you're getting heavy Mads," Tommy teases, setting me back on the floor.
"Are you trying to say something?" I ask, putting my hands on my hips. Tommy laughs, poking my flat stomach.
"Of course not, you're a stick. I'm jealous."
I stare pointedly at his slim hips and waist that widen up into broad shoulders. "Stop talking."
"Good enough for me," he laughs, "Now move it."
I step out of his way and follow him into the living room.
Cassie's curled up on the couch reading a book. When she glances up and sees Tommy, her eyes widen. "Hello," she says stiffly.
Tommy leans in close, "What's with her?"
"She's an impressionable youth."
"Oh," he says, a small frown forming. "Where're mom and dad?" He asks louder.
"Dad's still at work and mom went to the grocery store," Cassie answers, "Now would you two go away, I'm trying to read in here."
I'm sure what she really meant was 'Welcome home Tommy, it's really great to see you again!'
"I can feel the warm welcome already," Tommy says as we head upstairs, leaving Cassie to her reading.
"Aw," I loop an arm around his shoulder, our height difference making it difficult, "I'll always love you."
He shoves me away, but not without a grin. Go me.
"So what's been happening?" He asks as we enter his old room. It's always weird to come in here since Tommy left for college, it's so clean. When he was a permanent resident here, it was never even remotely tidy.
"Ugh," I moan, throwing myself onto his neatly made bed. He drops his duffel bag in the corner, shooting me an amused glance. "We're going up to the summer house in three days, with the Bennett's." I moan again for emphases.
Tommy settles down beside me. "The Bennett's huh? How are they?" He asks, "Do they know about my…"
Tommy trails off but I know what he's talking about, "Sure do, Tracy was mom's shoulder to cry on."
"God," Tommy says angrily, bringing a hand up to his forehead, "I don't know why she has to be such a fucking bitch about it."
"You took her by surprise and it was only a couple of months ago, but she is being remarkably immature about the whole thing," I sigh, attempting to ruffle his short spiky hair, but finding it impossible with all the gel he uses. "Jeez, got product?"
"Well what about you?" He asks, poking me in the shoulder, "What's with the blue?" I had added blue streaks to my blonde hair a few days ago.
I run my hand through it. "I think it adds character," I grin.
"If you say so," he studies it skeptically.
"I'm home!" Comes a yell from downstairs, "Come help me bring the groceries in!"
I groan but get to my feet, "Duty calls."
We get downstairs just as mom's coming back through the front door, two grocery bags clutched against her sides. "Oh. Thomas. You're home," she says, letting the bags slide down to the floor.
Tommy rolls his eyes, "That would be my car parked out front."
"Right, right … I must have overlooked that," she says stiffly. She stoops over to retrieve her bags and we go outside.
Tommy's frown is back and it makes me sad, that he doesn't feel welcome in his own home. "So how's Daniel?" I ask, hoping to get onto a better subject.
Tommy shrugs, grabbing a couple bags from the back of the car, "We broke up." Okay, not exactly what I was aiming for.
I grab a bag of my own and follow him back into the house. "Seriously? You came out for him not two months ago and you guys are already over?"
"It was never serious between us," Tommy explains, setting his bags on the counter and leaning against it, "He was more just an excuse to tell you guys, I figured it was time and having Daniel around somehow made it easier."
"So you don't miss him?" I ask, pulling out a gallon of milk from the bag closest to me and going over to the refrigerator.
Tommy puts away a box of Froot Loops. "Nope."
The weekend Tommy came out was quite eventful. He had come home, bringing a "friend" along with him, and promptly introduced the other boy as his boyfriend Daniel.
I hadn't been especially surprised, and of course it didn't bother me, he was my brother and I loved him no matter what. Our parents though, were a different story. Dad had just sort of clammed up, saying something stupid like 'Okay son' before promptly cracking open a beer. Compared to mom though, he had taken it excellently.
The first thing she had asked Tommy was whether he was joking. Whether or not he was fucking joking about being gay. When she realized he was completely serious, out came the questions about if he was really sure, as if the boyfriend wasn't evidence enough. Once she realized that her son was sure and he wasn't playing some kind of joke on her, she burst into tears. She began to wail about grandchildren or something equally retarded, obviously forgetting she also had two daughters as well.
Sure our parents' reactions could have been worse, they could have disowned him, stopped paying for his college, kicked him to the curb, the whole deal, so I guess in that sense, they reacted well enough.
But when you grow up thinking your parents will love and accept you no matter what, any sort of bad reaction can be disconcerting.
"So uh … how's your friend?" Mom asks Tommy over dinner.
"My boyfriend?" Tommy corrects, taking a bite of his pasta and chewing slowly. "We broke up."
"Really?" Mom says, perking up slightly. I want to slap her. "Did you realize you were just confused?" So badly.
Tommy's eyes harden, "No mom, it just wasn't working out."
Mom opens her mouth again but dad places a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head. "We're glad to have you back son," he says, his voice gruff.
I roll my eyes at our parents' stupid behavior, the only one close enough to hear Tommy's mutter of "Sure you are."
I lounge on the hood of Tommy's car, watching him bring our bags over.
"I feel that our parts in packing the car are severely unequal," he complains, trooping past with a large duffel in each hand.
"I told you Tommy, I'm management and you're labor."
He flips me off and disappears behind the vehicle. I smile, happy that my brother is back home for the summer. Things just aren't quite the same around here without him.
My grin fades as Trent approaches, his friend David by his side.
The four of us are taking Tommy's car up to the house while everybody else rides in the Bennett's minivan.
"Hey David," I greet, then with a sneer, "Trenton."
"Madeline," he acknowledges, "Feeling bitter that you couldn't convince any of your loser friends to come with you?"
I had asked my friend Lizzie if she could come along but she has dance workshops all summer, the aspiring ballerina that she is. The best I can say is that at least she's dedicated.
"Hey you guys," Tommy says, appearing beside me.
Trent looks startled for a moment before his expression turns impassive. "Hey Tommy you still-"
I glare at him but Tommy just laughs, "Gay? Yep. You interested?" Trent's eyes widen to the size of saucers and he backs away ever so slightly.
"N-no."
"You sure?" Tommy asks, approaching, a predatory gleam in his eye.
David slides onto the hood of the car beside me, "This is going to be an interesting summer," he laughs. I watch Tommy run a finger down Trent's chest, a smirk on his face. Trent turns bright red, his face twisting into an expression of horror.
If it wasn't Trent, and I didn't know Tommy was just pulling the boy's leg, I might almost feel sorry for him.
David and I had decided to take the front seats, he was driving, to leave the two lovebirds the back.
Even with Tommy on the opposite side, and a pile of stuff that didn't fit in the trunk between them, Trent had still wedged himself as close to the door as possible. It was priceless.
"So, Trent," Tommy starts, one glance at him telling me how much fun he's having with all this.
"No I won't fuck you!" Trent shouts.
Tommy raises and eyebrow and David snickers from beside me. I never realized what a spaz Trent was.
"Woah there Trent darling, I was just going to ask how lacrosse was going," Tommy smirks, "but if you'd rather talk about that…"
Trent crosses his arms and turns to face the window, his cheeks red.
Life is good.
A/N: Well, there's chapter two. Hope you enjoyed!
Thanks to everybody who reviewed: FDA Approved - I hope re-reading it doesn't get too boring, even if the basic story turns out similary (which I'm not quite positive about yet), as you can see there are a few changes. LoveProblems083, fleursdinnocence, SOAKtheSUN, the rocket apple - "please don't hesitate to update as soon as possible" I loved how you worded that, it made me laugh. FictionRose, and .A Cat
Thank you all for reviewing! They are much appreciated.
-CarefullyIronic