{CASTIEL'S POINT OF VIEW}
"Kids these days are revolting and simply unruly. Even if they wanted to commit revolting acts, they lacked the decency to do so indoors. If my son is a homophile, I will make sure he regrets the day he was born."
It was times like this that I hated having breakfast with my parents. Halfway to my mouth, the sandwich froze in the air, and so did I as my shoulders tensed up.
I turned to see my dad, perched on the edge of the dining table, going through his phone—his eyes fixed intently on whatever was on the screen, not even trying to hide the disgusted expression on his face.
"Let me see, honey." When my mother reached out, he handed her the phone. In disappointment, she also tsked, grimaced, and shook her head. Glancing at me, she set the phone down on the table. She had a stern expression on her face as if she was searching for something on mine. "Our son can never be gay, right Castiel?" The way she said it was nice and almost facetious, but I'd be a fool to fall for it.
That was an unequivocal warning. At that point, I noticed my father was also staring at me, awaiting my response.
I gulped down my chew before responding without hesitation because if my parents were law enforcement officials, they would be high-ranking investigators. "Yes, Mom!"
"That's great. These days, children are completely out of control," she remarked.
I glanced at the phone screen and saw two guys sharing a kiss. All at once, I sprung to my feet.
"Sweetheart, is something wrong?" Mom asked, looking at me bewildered.
"I'm going to be late for school. I'm going to go now. Yvette is picking me up today, so I won't be driving," I responded promptly. At that moment, I just wanted to get out of there—the room was becoming suffocating.
Mom's eyes lit up with concern at once. "But you didn't finish your breakfast."
I had already started to take up my bag from the floor next to the chair I was sitting in and throw it over one shoulder. "I'm stuffed. Thank you, Mom, and I'll see you and Dad later."
When I looked over at my father, he had a bizarre scowl on his face and a gleam in his eyes, as if he knew something I didn't. Then he smiled and wished me good luck.
I didn't know I was holding my breath until I was outside and on the street. I took out my phone and contacted Yvette once I was a few kilometers away. She answered after a few rings.
"What asshole, I'm driving!" She shouted, and I could hear horns from her end.
"Can you take a U-turn and come pick me up?" I requested.
"Are you out of your mind? I'm only a few minutes away from school. You can't expect me to freaking turn, and don't you have a freaking car? Your parents are flush with cash, asshole!"
I rolled my eyes. Yvette was my childhood friend. "I don't feel like using my car; just come pick me up and stop whining." I hung up before she could say another word and pocketed my phone.
I refused to think about the scene at the dining table, so I kept my mind blank. My parents' stares sent chills down my spine; it was almost as if they could see right through me. It was as if they knew my secret, but I doubted it because if they did, I wouldn't be alive to witness another sunset.
I put my hands in my pockets and waited. Five minutes later, a blue Honda Civic pulled over in front of me, and the window on the driver's side was rolling down to expose Yvette's reddish hair in her uniform. As her brown eyes gleamed daggers at me, I forced a phony grin on her.
"You better have a good argument for this asshole or you're dead."
I fought the impulse to roll my eyes as I walked around to the other side of the car and sat in the front passenger seat and she drove off.
"Mind telling me why you didn't use one of your million cars, brat?" She snarled at me.
I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes. "I didn't feel like it."
"Oh great, imagine I didn't feel like picking you up and having your ass walk to school!"
I wasn't struck by her lack of attempt to conceal the irony in her tone of speech. I had bigger problems. "Quit being dramatic and drive," I uttered, and she sneered.
"Ungrateful spawn!" She mumbled under her breath while I just dozed off, feeling drained even before the day began.
***
Since my parents were the most sexist and homophobic people to ever walk on planet Earth, they enrolled me in a school that was just as homophobic, especially the jocks of the basketball team.
They bullied those whom they deemed gay, and egregiously, I was one of them. I was the captain of the basketball team, which I wouldn't say I liked because I was anything but homophobic, but I had to blend in with the crowd. To fit in, do what everyone else did and no one will suspect your dirty little secret.
When Yvette stopped the car in front of the large four-story school building, I jumped out of the car before she could spew everything on her mind; I knew she had plenty.
I strode towards the school's entrance, my rucksack slung over my shoulder, but I almost turned around when I noticed a handful of my teammates waiting at the door for me, as they had done every day since I became captain.
I wished I could turn back and run away, but they noticed me too fast, giving me little alternative than to approach them.
"Hey cap, where's your car?" I was bombarded with questions instantaneously.
"Didn't feel like driving today," I responded with a smug grin that made my muscles ache; thankfully, they dropped the inquiries and we strolled into the school, which was immediately buzzing as we marched down the corridor like we were gods.
I loathed the spotlight and wished I could just disappear.
***
While others were in their class, I snuck to the inbuilt basketball court, shooting the ball into the basket so many times that I lost count of how many times the ball had gone in. I panted as I made another basket, breathless and clutching my waist as I saw the ball bounce away. I suddenly felt too fatigued to pick it up, but I did, and just as I was about to shoot another basket, a voice intervened.
"I thought you were anti-hospitals? Continue doing that and we will rush you there."
My heart practically ripped out of its rib cage as I spun my head to the bench, and the ball dropped out of my grasp. "Warren!" I exclaimed with too much enthusiasm, which made him chuckle as he rose from where he was sitting on the bench.
I couldn't take my eyes off him as he approached. He wore his uniform but added a black jumper with a hoodie over his head, his silver locks of hair sticking out.
Once he was on the floor of the court, he took the ball off the floor and came to stand in front of me, striking me with his extraordinary olive-green eyes.
"May I have the honor of having a match with the captain?" His voice was low and tinged with a hint of teasing, which made my heart race even faster.
I nodded abruptly, feeling thrilled on the inside.
Even if I was selected as the captain of the team because I was a better player than most, Warren constantly surprised me with his skills, making it hard for me to retrieve the ball anytime he had it and for the second time, he made a basketball.
Perhaps it was because he was bigger, broader, and taller, making me smaller.
After he shot the third basket, I gave up and settled on the floor, gasping for air. "I-I can't anymore."
He sat next to me without breaking a sweat or panting like I was.
"Are you alright, Castiel?"
I met his gaze and felt cornered in a good way, spellbound and sluggishly, my gaze traveled down to his lips and remained there.
His lips were full and ripe, with a plumpness that was almost too perfect. The curves were gentle and soft, begging to be kissed. They were a brilliant pinkish-red color, similar to a ripe strawberry, and looked impossible to resist. As silky and seductive as sin, they would be akin to kissing a piece of silk. I wanted to sin.
Unable to resist, I drew him close by his sweater and kissed him on the lips; he kissed me back right away.
I reached for his nape and drew him down as I slid backward until my back was on the floor and he was hovering over me. The kiss was slow but desperate, a feverish embrace that built up over time. Our lips slowly pressed together, savoring every inch of each other's mouth, every curve, and every crevice. The pace was agonizingly slow and I liked it—each kiss was more intense than the previous one, as the need grew more intense."
He tasted like vanilla, and no matter how many times I kissed him, I could not get enough of it. Did I mention he smelled like lemon? He was bittersweet.
I drew his hoodie down and ran my fingers through his silver hair. But, before I could get completely lost, he broke the kiss.
"Someone might come in, Castiel."
It was like a slap in the face to reality. I pushed him off of me and bolted to my feet.
Fuck! I was seldom this careless. "I'm going back to class." I hurriedly told him and spun around, heading for the exit.
"Castiel."
His rich, deep voice called my name before a hand wrapped around my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. He appeared in front of me and planted a kiss on my brow.
"You worry too much."
I'd have to worry; we couldn't afford to get caught—not now, not ever—but before I could respond, he was already walking ahead of me.
A small smile formed on my lips, but I quickly exhaled a sigh.
He was my secret, and I was determined to keep it for the rest of my life.