Not Like All The Others

JUSTIN’S POV


God, I just want this fucking day to end. Why is it that Friday’s always seem to take fucking forever to be over with. I listen to the teacher drone on and on about our homework assignment, all the while trying to ignore the several paper balls being tossed at the back of my head by Chris Hobbs. I hate that asshole. I hear him whisper to his buddy beside him. I catch the words ‘fag’ and ‘hell’ and can pretty much fill in the rest on my own. I feel Daphne nudge my side. I look over to see what she wants.

“Can you believe what assholes those guys are?” she uses her eyes to indicate Chris and his friend.

“Actually, I can.” I tell her. She sighs.

“They don’t know what the fuck they’re talking about. Don’t let it get to you. ” she tells me encouragingly.

“I don’t plan on it. I don’t give a shit what they think of me. Besides, why would I sit here and think about them when I can think about what I’ll be doing with Brian later tonight?” I say to her. A big smile crosses her face.

“You’re going to go see Brian tonight? Damn, no wonder you’ve been in such a hurry to get this day over with. I think I would too.” she tells me with a laugh. A laugh that the teacher over hears. She shoots a look our way. Daphne and I both quiet down until the end of the class.


After the bell rings Daphne and I get our things out of our lockers and head to her car. As I throw my things in the back seat of her car a sudden push from behind causes my forehead to collide with the edge of the car door.

“Shit.” I rub my hand over my head. I take my hand off the spot and look at it. Well, at least I’m not fucking bleeding this time. I don’t have to turn around to know who hit me. “You’re an ass Chris.” I turn around and see him slapping one of his fellow football players a high five. “Don’t you have anything better to fucking do?” I ask him.

“What could possibly be more fun than making your life a living a hell?” he asks in response. His friend cracks up laughing. I roll my eyes at him.

“How about getting one of your own?” Daphne yells from the other side of the car.

“I have my own life.” Chris defends himself. His buddy just nods his head in agreement. God, can either one of them think for themselves.

“Then why don’t you fuck off and get to it then?” she tells them. God, I love this girl. Chris and his friend finally turn and leave. I turn back to Daphne. She shoots them one last dirty look, even though they can’t see it with their backs to her, and then looks over at me. She sees me smiling at her. “What?”

“You know Daph, if I were strait I would so ask you to marry me.” I tell her. She blushes.

“Well, as flattered as I may be, I don’t think I would want to risk the wrath of your boyfriend. Whom, might I remind you, you have a date with tonight that you still have to get ready for. So, let’s go already.” she says. I smile at her again and climb into the car.

CRAIG’S POV


I sit in the study, pretending to get ready for the ‘work’ I have to do later. I listen to Justin and Daphne hurrying around in Justin’s room, which is right above my study. After about a half hour they finally quiet down, apparently having finished what ever it was they were so absorbed in a moment ago. I continue to listen to them for a while until Jennifer comes in to tell me she is leaving. I tell her good bye and wait until I hear her leave the house. I wait in my study for a little over an hour. When I finally hear Justin and Daphne coming down stairs I put the various papers scattered over my desk away and wait for them to go outside. I listen as they get into Daphne’s car and I peak out the window to see which direction they go. As soon as they pull away from the driveway I open the door and walk out to my car.


I follow behind them, staying far enough back that they don’t notice me following him. About ten minutes later Daphne pulls up in front of what looks like apartments or something. She waves goodbye and drives off. I knew he wasn’t staying with her when he said he was. He opens the door and goes inside. Since there is too much of a chance of me running into him once we’re in the building, and since I don’t know which person or floor he’s going to anyway, I just wait in the car. Before long Justin comes back out with an older man. Although I can’t see clearly from so far away, I have very little doubt that this is the man from the picture. They get into a jeep parked in front of the building and drive off down the road. I start the car up and follow them.


I follow them all the way to Liberty Avenue. Christ, I don’t want my son here. Just because I approve of his sexuality doesn’t mean I want him flaunting it or becoming a stereotype. Anything could fucking happen to someone his age in this area. Of course I guess that isn’t entirely fair since anything could happen to someone his age at any place in the city. I’m drawn out of my thoughts when Justin and the man get out of the car. The man then leads my son into a bar. Justin is too young to be in places like that. He’s not even eighteen. They don’t stay in the bar too long. They come back out and the older man grabs Justin by the front of his shirt and pushes him against the car. It doesn’t look like it hurt but I tense anyway. When the man leans down to kiss him I get out of the car and start walking towards them. They are both so focused on kissing each other that neither one of them sees me come up.


I don’t think before I act. I grab the man by his jacket and pull him off my son. I turn him around to face me and punch him before pushing him onto the ground.

“Fucking pervert.” I shout at him. The man stands up quickly and moves to punch me back but Justin moves in between us.

“Brian, it’s my dad. Stop. Brian please. I’m sorry he hit you but I don’t want you two to get in a fight. Please just let me handle it.” Justin begs him. The man, Brian, seems to debate it for a moment before lowering his fist. As soon as he does my son turns to me. “What the fuck are you doing here?” he asks.

“I knew you weren’t going with Daphne. And when I found a picture in your room of you with this fucking pervert I figured you were probably going with him.” I tell him. A look of anger washes over his face.

“What the fuck were you doing in my room? Going through my stuff? You have no fucking right.” he yells at me. His raised voice only increases my anger.

“I have every fucking right. You’re my kid. And as long as you’re my kid I have the right to do whatever the fuck I want.” I shout back.

“Well, you can take your rights and shove them up your ass.” he says. And once again I don’t think before I act. I didn’t mean to hit him. I really didn’t. For a second I’m surprised that I actually did. But a second for being surprised is all I have before I feel myself being shoved violently into the wall behind me. Brian’s fists manage to come down on me several times before Justin is able to pull him off. And even after that he still gets in one good kick to the face. Christ, he may be queer but damn does he have a right hook. Justin finally gets Brian to stop trying to come after me. Justin leans up and whispers into his ear what sounds like ‘take me home’. Brian turns to him and nods. They get in the jeep and drive off before I even get up off the ground. Once I finally feel like I have enough strength to stand with all falling over, I get to my feet and walk back to my car. I drive back to the house and go inside. I head strait up to Justin’s room to talk to him. But to my surprise, he isn’t there. Maybe it wasn’t this home he was talking about.