Max

Four stores in, I started to notice David getting a little... Excited. As if there was something to look forward to after this. We already got our ice cream. We we're eating lunch now. There was so much clothes. I've tried on enough things like I'm fucking shirtless or something.

"The fuck has you in such a good mood?" I asked David once we sat down. I hope he's not as overly optimistic as he was at camp. That was too much. That for annoying after a while.

"So I told you I haven't seen my parents in years." David explained to me, excitement pouring out of him like he was a gameshow host or something. "But I ran into a few of my siblings while you were trying on stuff, and my little sister has a birthday party tonight. My brother invited us to come. Also, language."

"And you really think that's a good idea?"

"I think that it's a step forward." He correct my point. "If all else fails, we're a twenty minute drive from home and we can spend the night doing something else. But until the party we have time for a few more shops, if you'd like."

I shrugged.

"Might as well."

The rest of the time at the mall went by quick enough before I changed into something that I hadn't worn for three days straight want we we're back in the car. Back to questioning David and his depressing ass home life.

"So you got kicked out."

"Mhm."

"When you were 17."

"Yup."

"Why?"

He took in a breath. But it's David, so he fessed up either way.

"Well you see, Max," my parents explained to me as we turned down a more empty road. "As you know, I am single was if the moment. But if or when I do start going out with somebody, there's a 99% chance that, through me, you won't have a mother. And before you ask about Bonquisha, that was a special situation that's happened one other time in my life."

"So your parents kicked you out because you're gay?" I summed it up, being it didn't need to be that complicated.

"Yes, Max." David confirmed what I had suspicions about over the summer. Him being gay. Multiple reasons. "My parents kicked me out because I'm gay. I moved in with my ex boyfriend and his family when that happened. Until college, of course."

"Well that's dumb." I wasn't afraid to tell him that's what I thought. "Not that you're gay. That your parents had the nerve to kick you out for it. That just makes me closed minded morons."

"Yeah." He agreed with that. "Normally I wouldn't agree with that, but it's the truth. I guess we'll find out if they've changed."

Nothing else was said for the rest of the car rides and when we got there, the house was just fucking waiting for a party. The place wasn't as nice as David's, but it could've raised 6 kids.

The first person to notice us was the birthday girl. Ran over as much as she could  manage in the death trap they was heels, and gave David a hug as I hid behind him, because I knew nobody here.

"Oh my God, are you shitting me?" The birthday girl asked David and he smiled at her. "Who found... Oh my God."

"I ran into Alex earlier today." David explained and held out the bag full of a bunch of girly shit. "He found the rest of our siblings, myself included. Happy Birthday."

"Oh my God, thank you." She gave him another hug, and her arms went along the top of my hair. Which she noticed pretty quick. Scared the shit out of both of us. I didn't expect a hand by my hair.

"David, why is there hair on the back of your shirt?"

"What are you talking about?" David asked as I saw who must've been his parents come into the room. Which could make all of this go to hell entirely. "I don't—"

"Grandma! Grandpa!" The baby with somebody here yelled at David's parents and she ran over to them. His parents were happy to see her.

"Hi, sweetie." They told her, real sweet like. "Is everyone here?"

"Um... No." The dude she talked to answered and looked around. "We're waiting on two others. Everyone said they'd be here. Everyone was invited, right?"

"Of course." David's dad remark. "Everyone we managed to get ahold of, that is."

"You guys got ahold of Eliza and David for this?" David's youngest sister asked, because she loved that idea.

"What are you—"

They found David.

And I knew that expression. That's the expression I got from my parents any time I did anything wrong. Even if it was dumb, or just a small detail. Any little thing.

"I was invited." David defended himself in this situation. "I swear, we we're invited. By Alex and Eliza."

"I'm sorry, we?" My... Newly grandfather didn't like that idea. "Where did he go? To kill himself?"

That uh... That stung a little. My parents told me to go kill myself a lot. I tried a few times. Never worked.

I'll uh... David will find out eventually.

"Dad!" The birthday girl remarked before anyone else could. "That's rude. Please. It's my birthday."

"Yeah, that was sort of rude." David agreed and motioned at me. "I was referring to your grandson, but my goodness, you don't have to talk like that."

"What grandson?" My grandma asked, not noticing me. "Alex is the only one with kids. You can't even have kids."

David stepped a little to the left, exposing me to the rest of the family that I suddenly had no interest in whatsoever. I just wanted to go home. Back to David's house. Fucking bad vibes here.

"No, I adopted." My legal guardian explained to them. "If you really wanted to know, his name is Max. He's 10."

They took one step towards me before I told them to stay the fuck away from me.