ZiaJang's One Shots & Short Stories

In A Hopeless Place

Title: IN A HOPELESS PLACE

Genre: Gay Romance

____________________________

Wyatt

Like every other morning, I woke up to a squabble in my house. Voices from my fraternal twin Wilson and our two younger sisters blared straight into my ears. I blame the thin walls of our two-bedroom single story rented house.

Our mother is a single parent and luck on our side, when our eldest brother turned eighteen, old enough to help us, he went straight to jail for grand theft auto. We were kicked out of previous house, all our savings gone to pay for his attorney. Still, he didn't win his case.

Willy and I are seventeen. Only less than a year us left and we'll be able  get to college. Sadly, we're skint broke. That's why I took a part time job at a local café. Mom works as house keeper. Willy looks after our sisters when we're not home. It's summer so we don't need to worry about school. Yet.

"That was my toast!" Carrie cried foul play at Christine for taking her food.

"Here, have mine." I gave my sister my share for breakfast. Mom would tell me I shouldn't because there's no more. And that would only make me even more frustrated looking at our table. And Willy would tell me I'm soft because I'm probably gay. I am, this i***t.

My home is so poor, it's depressing to say the least.

There was always not enough food. We have to pay for our rent, food, school, and all other expenses. It sucks being poor and I have known that for so long as I could remember.

I once wished mom did not have a boyfriend after Dad died. Then we would not have two more siblings to feed. I was being selfish. I also wished Sutthee did not become so desperate for a big payout. He got himself tangled with thieves and went to prison. If not, we would still have savings.

Tired of the reality slapping me in the face, I got up to take a shower then left and went to work.

"Guess who," someone said behind me with hands covering my eyes. This is the only person that can brighten up my day.

"Jason?"

"No."

"Lemuel?"

"Nah-uh."

"Kenneth?"

"Nope."

Removing the hands of my face, I turned around and smiled at the handsome man. Standing six feet three inches. Brown eyes. Kissable lips. Chest I feel safe leaning against. My boss. And also, my secret affair.

"Were those your exes?" Phillip asked me with a pout as he parted my bangs. The

Phillip Titan is the son of my mother's employers. Our relationship isn't known to anyone but. And also, not clear. We go hide and do our seemingly forbidden acts.

No, we haven't had s*x which I wish we had. He is holding back every time things get hotter. I don't like it but I guess it's better because sooner or later, he'll find someone more suitable than me to hang out with. As much as I want to give him my cherry, I guess it can’t be helped. With all the baggage in my life, I'm the least suited to be his other half.

I'm just happy that he gives me attention. After all, I've been in love with him since I was in middle school.

Phillip is a rich man and I'm a poor kid who's not even eighteen yet. I'm gay, too. It's something Willy and I discuss and argue about a lot because I haven't come out yet and he suspects me.

To tease Phillip, I said, "maybe..." to his question.

He blinked, pausing before a soft smile curved his lips. He planted a kiss on my forehead before leaving the storeroom without saying anything.

With a sigh, I continued stacking the shelves. He's gone and so did my smile.

***

"What's this?" I asked Phillip after he handed me a red gift box, wrapped with a beautiful yellow ribbon. He came to my house.

Pinching my cheek, he told me it was what it looked like. "Your birthday is in a month but... I won't be here. So I got this."

A stab hit my chest at the sound of him not being... here. I didn't want to admit that I would be a mess without him, cry once I don't see him at work anymore.

He's leaving?

"W-Where are you going?" I asked, trying to be calm. Or maybe I was wishing it wouldn't be far. Somewhere I would have money to get there. That was foolish though. We were not exactly in a relationship for me to chase after him.

"I'm going to California."

"W-Wow." My voice faltered. He's going far. "Well, thanks for the gift. A safe journey then?"

He smiled at me and pulled me into a hug. "I'm gonna miss you, Way," he said as he cupped my face. With one more smile, he leaned down to plant a kiss on my lips. Then he left... without looking back.

I held myself from shaking as tears rolled down my cheeks. This sucks... Really sucks. I couldn't tell him I love him. And how much money do I need to get to another country? Damn it. This sucks.

***

"That was my omelette!" Carrie cried one morning.

"What is wrong with you, Christine?!" I bellowed soon as I came to the kitchen. "You're always stealing her share of food! You're twins but look how bigger you are than her!"

"Way, what's the matter with you?" My mother pushed me to the side to hush my seven year year old sister.

Wilson was stunned. Carrie was in the verge of crying as she looked at me.

"I-I'm sorry..." I left the house, guilty as sin for taking my frustration at my family. I walked aimlessly until my feet brought me in front of the cafe I worked at. It's Sunday so it was closed. I turned away.

Everything has turned even more depressing after Phillip left. I kept working and working to forget him, the only reason for me to keep going. Life was miserable but at least he was there. Not anymore.

School has started. I've turned eighteen but still, nothing changed. My family is still as poor as can be, our life still as stagnant, our house still as loud when everyone is home. And I'm still gay and heartbroken.

It was already dark when I came back home.

"Where have you been?!" My mother came to me with so much worry in her eyes. "Get inside and have your dinner."

"Just give it to the girls, ma. I'm not hungry."

"Way... Is there something wrong?" She asked me as I stepped into the living room. She was behind me.

"Nothing, ma." I shook my head. "Nothing."

***

I woke up one morning, for the first time, hearing laughter in our house. It was odd. Ignoring it, I headed to the bathroom to do my morning routine, washed my face and brushed my teeth. I could still hear laughter even as I got dressed.

Curious, I went to the kitchen and my jaws dropped. My heart stopped. "Phil?"

"Hi, baby."

Phillip was at my house, surrounded by my family. And he called me... Baby?

"I was just talking to your mother about work and," he said as I walked closer.

"...and he wants to be your boyfriend." Willy added, teasing me. "I knew you were gay!"

"Come on, son." My mom motioned me to sit next to Phillip as she served my plate. Meanwhile, Willy gathered our sisters to the living room.

"What are you doing in my house?" I asked the man I haven't seen in months. He gave me the same smile he would give me before. My stomach fluttered but my chest hurt.

"To ask you to be boyfriend," he said with a bright smile.

"Is this a joke?" I queried with questioning eyes and broken voice. I was hurt. Brokenhearted. He never said anything about feelings. Now he's just going to ask me to be his boyfriend?"

"Way..."

I didn't take the seat next to him. "I have work. I should go."

I fastened my steps as I heard him call my name. I was confused. Perhaps I was still asleep. This was too good to be true. Reality would be me still working my ass off, putting some money aside so that one day, I could go to California to see him. Even just as a friend.

By the looks of things, it would take me at least five years to be able to have enough money to get a visa and a ticket. I haven't thought about what's after yet.

"Way!" My steps got halted as Phillip got hold of my hand. "I'm sorry."

"F-For what?" I asked as I turned back to him. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"I did." His smile from earlier was replaced by a face of pain and regret. "I left and I didn't even tell you what I felt. About you..."

Was it wrong for me to think how we were in a sort of love story where the other lead could not tell the other he loves him or her but left just like that. I'm not an i***t to believe in the fairy tales, of a Cinderella life story. But seeing Phillip in front of me was making me feel like a million dollar princess in a Disney film.

Like a prince, his movements appeared to be in a slow motion, cupping my face and caressing my hair, my lips.

"...

"...love you.

"I love you."

"Way? Baby? Can you hear me? I said I love you."

I felt his thumbs gently caressed my cheeks. "Don't cry. I am here now. Don't cry."

I felt the familiar touch on my lips. Phillip was kissing me. Only then, I realized what he was telling me. I bawled my eyes out as I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back just as passionately.

The days of me missing him so bad I was spouting questions to my family asking how much it takes to fly to California, came rushing back. Carrie and Christine started having a piggybank without asking me whom I was seeing. Even Willy accepted tutoring jobs for us all to make more money.

We were still poor, nothing changed, but we had a piggybank.

I cried harder when I saw my family exit the house as Phillip let me go.

"California came to you, Way." Christine said to me.

"That was my line!" Carrie pouted.

Phillip and I had a chuckle.

"How did you guys know?" I asked them referring to Phillip.

"Remember one night that you came home from running away all day?" My mom said. I nodded, brows Knott at where she was going with it. "You left your phone at home and that night, I sort of went through it."

I wanted to protest but Phillip squeezed on my palm.

"My son was in love and I wasn't even paying attention," my mom continued with teary eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were carrying this much burden. If we had a little more then you wouldn't have hesitated to tell Phillip you like him."

"Ma... It's not like that..."

She shook her head. "It's alright. That's reality and you can feel that way. I just wished you could have told me."

"I'm sorry..." I pulled my mother into a hug and my siblings followed suit. We were a ball of crying mess.

"You really don't mind this?" I asked my family as I walked back to Phillip.

"I wouldn't have come back early if not for them," Phillip said as he pulled me to his side, grabbing my waist.

"You can love whom you want, Way." My mom gave me a smile and my siblings, a grin and thumbs up.

I looked backed to Phillip and he held that smile he used to give me, but brighter and warmer. "I'm here now so....we have a lot of time to be able to talk about us. For now, I wanna have breakfast with you and your family. How about that?"

"Sounds good." I chuckled as he wiped the rest of my tears.

"And maybe later you can answer my confession," he added as a whisper before we followed our family back in the house.

"Sounds good, too."