[Vote; Vote and mouse are now happier than ever. They found more survivors and now they are repopulating the world with more army of sexy unicorn comments and votes. They are building cities and giving birth by the thousands. BUT HOLY SHET THE SUN IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE! YOU MUST VOTE TO MAKE EXTRATERRESTRIAL BEINGS COME AND RESCUE THEM! OMG VOTE!]

               The car ride was pretty quiet and full of awkwardness. Neither of us spoke to each other, we didn't even look at each other. He kept his eyes glued to the window and looked outside at the people who were driving to go to the beach.

               Starbucks was pretty close to the beach, we won't get to see the ocean but we'll be very close. You could almost hear the ocean from the outside of the store. It was a pretty relaxing place, I liked going to it. 

               I coughed awkwardly when I stopped at a red light. I decided to look at Rayne - knowing he wasn't looking at me but I was wrong. He was already looking at me.

               "You're not stealing me away to fuck me right?" He asked, furrowing a brow.

               Oh, the gay irony in this.

               "No ..." I answered offhandedly, "unless you want me to."

                This time he coughed awkwardly, we need to stop coughing or we'll get sick.

               "Pass..."

               "I was joking," I snapped, "I wouldn't fuck you even if I were gay."

               "Of course you wouldn't."

               "What are you saying?"

               "Nothing, nothing." He drew his eyes back to the window and ignored me.

               Ugh. I want to hit him so bad. Why can't I hit him? Oh right, my saint of a sister keeps me under control. It's not nice to hit people, Jesse. I silently mimicked her.

               "Are you okay?" He asked.

               "I'm fine." I insist.

               "If you want to talk, you can trust me."

               Pfft, I don't need his psychologist side of him ganging up on my thoughts. My thoughts are private and can't be shared with the world. There's a reason why they are called thoughts and why no one else can hear them. Jeez.

               Then I thought of something, in effort of sustaining a friendly conversation, I decided to ask about his parents.

               "Hey, um. How are you handling your parent issue?"

               I could feel his eyes on me, I didn't look at him for the sake of the awkwardness. But he was looking at me alright.

               "I'm handling it very well. It's not really an issue to me. I respect their choice."

               "Even if it hurts you?"

               "Even if it hurts me."

               "But they're your parents. Don't give up on them. They will come around, I'm sure of it."

               He chuckled, "Maybe in their heads they will learn to accept me but they would never act upon it."

               "Why not?" 

               He shrugged, "You'd know if you lived with real religious parents. They rather disown their children than to walk the earth feeling shame and embarrassment over their own bloodline."

               "That sucks," I patted his shoulder sympathetically, "you can have my parents if you want."

                He laughed, "Sure, that would be lovely."

               I narrowed my eyes at him, "I'm dead serious."

               I turned up the radio so it could fill the silent pauses between our conversations. Ugh, Katy Perry and her big boobs.

              This song makes everything more awkward.

               "Ur so gay! I love that song!" Rayne chuckled, joking obviously. "This is so your song..."

               You're so gay and you don't even like boys, no you don't even like boys...

               "Hm...I'm not sure if I should respond. If I say yes, I still look gay, if I say no then it might mean I do like boys."

               "Charming..."

                We stayed silent throughout the whole song, mostly cause things got awkward again. Why can't we get to the damn Starbucks faster?

               "I liked the ending," I grinned.

               "I didn't even need to guess it," He muttered.

               I blinked, another Katy Perry song?

               He put it on me, I put it on like there was nothing wrong. It didn't fit, it wasn't right. It wasn't just the size, they say you know when you know ... I don't know ... I didn't feel the fairy tale feeling, no.

               "Oh my God!" I shouted at the radio, "Katy Perry, you dirty girl! Why are you talking about a pen—"

               "Wedding ring," Rayne cut me off, "She's talking about a wedding ring." Then he looked at me and I found myself contemplating life. Thank you, Katy Perry. Thank you.

               "Your eyes are kind of nice," I complimented him, "Don't let it get to you though. I'm not gay, I'm straight."

               "Why are we doing this?" He said, changing the subject. Judging by his tone, he had this question on his mind for a while. Finally it came out!

               I decided to play dumb. "Doing what?"

               He clapped his hands together, "You obviously hate me so why the heck are we hanging out?"

               "Because I want to apologize and explain things."

               He glared at me, "Guilt finally hitting you?"

               I opened my mouth but closed it back, he was right. Guilt was bothering me because of my sister. She just keeps reminding me about being good. I was remembering everything she ever said to me. She wouldn't be proud of me if she knew how hateful and judgemental I became after the incident.

               "Yeah," I answered quietly.

               "I forgive you."

               "Shhh." I hushed him quickly, "wait till we're at the stupid Starbucks to talk."

               He sank back down into his chair and remained quiet.

               When we arrived, I parked a bit too close to the entrance but fuck it, the closer the better. IfRayne starts to weird me out then I'll escape pretty quickly.

               I almost squealed like a five year old school girl when Zoey blocked the entrance. I covered my mouth with my hand to stop such embarrassing sounds from coming out. What is she doing here?! Is she stalking me now? 

               "Hi, Jesse." She gently batted her eye lashes and smiled at me.

               "No." I answered, I didn't know what she was going to say but no was my answer.

               "You don't even know what I was gonna ask."

               "I don't care. Move your blonde ass out of the way and stop following me."

               "How about we go on a date? We can go to the beach—"

               I cut her off, "Zoey, I said no. Besides," I looked over at Rayne who was looking away, "I'm on a date with this guy."

                She gave me a confused look and glared between Rayne and I.

               "Yeah," I answered her thoughts, "You made me gay. See ya biatch."

               I walked around Zoey and entered the stupid coffee shop. I didn't look back until I heard her high heels ticking away. When I knew she was completely gone, I looked to my side—expectingRayne, but he wasn't there.

               What the heck? Where is Rayne?

               "Rayne?"

               When I said his name he quickly appeared and walked inside the coffee shop.

               "Sorry, there was a squirrel and I had to go touch it."

               I snorted, "Alright ... what do you want to drink? I'll order for the both of us."

               "Caramel frappe."

               "Funny, that's what I always order. Anyway, go sit outside." I demanded.

               He eyed me, "Alright...Bossy much? Jeez."

               I waited for him to disappear outside before I got on the line. I could still change my mind and just run away now. I don't have to explain anything. But I can't ... I have to do the right thing.

               Good, I'm determined to apologize and explain everything. I am willing to become friends with Rayne. Good! That's what my sister would have wanted and that's the right thing to do. Good Jesse, keep positive thoughts in your head and don't punch him.

               After I ordered our drinks I searched for him outside but I didn't see him—until an old lady got up and left. There he was, sitting while he stared at the flowers on the middle of the table with the sunshine hitting him—making him look unbelievably inhuman. Almost like an angel.

               I shifted uncomfortably when he looked up at me. I muttered random words at myself while I dragged myself to the table. I handed him the drink and he took it with a bright smile. Thanks sun, thanks for making everything more awkward as it was.

                I mean, I do admit he's good looking for a guy but I'm not gay. Honestly, I'm straight. I don't like what guys have between their legs except mine.

                "So..." He said loosely.

                I took a sip of my drink to keep my mouth busy. Oh God, that sounded wrong. Didn't it? Or is it because I'm just Jesse?

               "So...I'm sorry." I made sure to look at him in the eyes when I apologized, I remembered my sister telling me something about people lying when they don't look at you. So I looked at him, and felt like I was being pulled in by his eyes. I know my eyes are pretty amazing too but damn. His were so bright...

                "Sorry about what?"

               "Sorry about being a jerk to you. About acting like a homophobic person. And I'm sorry about the future things that I will do to you."

               "Future things? What do you mean?"

               I pinched the bridge of my nose, it was getting awkward for me. I never apologize for anything. Unless I got a girl pregnant, then I'm sorry. "Well I want to be your friend...and if you accept...then you're accepting my rules and conditions. One is, I will make pranks on you."

               "I can deal with that."

               "So would you want to be ... my ... friend?" I gulped.

               "Sure, and you sound very enthusiastic about it too. That's great."

               "Oh shut up," I snapped. "This is hard for me."

               "Hard to be nice to someone or hard not to be nice?"

               "Both."

               "Is it because I'm gay? Let me remind you that my sexuality has nothing to do with the oxygen that enters your lungs. You still live."

                 "Whoa, hold on right there. I'm trying to be nice. You need to calm your sassy ass down."

               He clenched his jaw tightly, eyes glaring all over the place, specially at me.

               "I am truly sorry if I have offended you in any way. I promise that I don't hate you or your sexuality." I added.

               "Then what's with the act?"

               "It has to do with my past. A very terrible past."

               "Oh," He said, bringing his hand to his mouth. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were raped."

               I pursed my eye brows, "What? No. Shut up. I have not been raped." I felt a tad offended by that accusation.

               "Sorry," He shrugged with a smirk.

               He took a sip of his drink and kept staring at me. Hm. Staring...

               "It was my dad...he..."

               He gasped loudly, which cut me off. "You were raped by your dad? Oh God, I'm so sorry."

               "Benjamin!" I shouted, smacking the table.

               His smile faded away quickly, "You called me Benjamin..."

               "I... I meant Rayne. Sorry."

               "No," He said softly, "You can call me Benjamin if you want. It just surprised me that's all."

                "Right..." I watched my hand as it played with my straw. "Anyway, my dad ... he was the dad that none of us wanted. Drunk bastard. Drug addict. And so much more shit. He's the reason why I hate gays, or why I try to."

               "You're hating on millions of people because of one person? That's so wrong."

               "I know." I sighed, when he said that ... it made me sound like a total douche. "It's just...he left my mom."

               He nodded his head, "He was gay, wasn't he?"

               "Yeah...that made me pretty upset. The night he left was the worst night of my life. He told my mom the truth. He was cheating on her with guys, he was going behind her back and having sex with her male friends. He didn't even care about us. He didn't care about me or my sister. He kept telling us that we were a disgrace to him. How he hated children."

               "We're you two young when that happened?"

               "My sister was ten, I was thirteen."

               My eyes looked around aimlessly, we were alone. That's a lot more privacy than I expected, much better for me. I don't want people listening to my conversation.

               "So what happened?"

               I thought of the night, the haunting night that crept up through me each time I had a nightmare. The night that I became a hateful child. "They were both fighting...my mom was soaked in tears. I remember he was drunk, very drunk, which is the only reason he told her the truth. He tried to take her things away, her jewelry that she worked hard for and loved."

               I almost gagged, I didn't like the feeling of the memory. It was always disgusting to me. It made my eyes sting with anger. I could feel my face heating up. It's so hard to remember and share it with a person I barely know.

               But I continued, "She fought to get them back. I remember that one broke and my mom cried even more. He kicked her in the stomach when she dropped on the floor to collect the broken jewelry. That's when my sister stepped in and tried to pull my dad away from my mom. And then it just happened..."

               "A flash...followed by a loud bang."

               "What happened, Jesse?"

                "He shot her in the head. None of us saw the gun...it just happened. And I stood there the whole time and did nothing."

               Rayne gasped, he covered his mouth while his eyes glistened. I didn't want him to feel pity for me but it was pretty sad and shocking. Somehow his hands found mine and I didn't even flinch. I didn't care. I didn't feel disgusted.

               "I'm so sorry about joking before. I feel stupid now." He apologized, why did he have to be so sweet to me? Why couldn't he be like the other gays that slapped the shit out of my face?

               "It's fine. I just ... I just wanted to share that with you. I don't hate you. But that lead me to hate on people. I just want you to understand."

                 "Oh believe me, I understand more than anyone. That is just terrible. I know that your sister is safe now. I know she's in heaven."

               I gave him a weak smile, "How can you say that? Isn't 'heaven' what got you in your mess?"

               "A few people's opinion doesn't destroy the relationship I have with God."

               I chuckled, "You going religious amuses me."

               "I'm truly grateful that you shared that with me. I really am. I never judged you though. I knew that it was all an act. I could see right through those eyes." He laid back on his seat, crossing his arms while he looked at me. "You don't fool me."

               "Well I tried."

               "I know that what happened was very wrong but never ever hate a person for someone else's actions. Not only is it wrong, it's unfair to others."

                "Stop with your therapist thing!" I pointed at him. "The therapist talk. What ever you do. Stop it! Makes me feel like I'm crazy."

               His jaw dropped, "I'm not! That's actually offending me right now. I'm just trying to be friendly and understanding."

               "Be yourself, hoe."

               "That was a slap to the face. And you're the hoe. You hoe."

               "Before I punch you, are we cool?"

               "We're cool..." He said calmly, totally not threatened by me. Gasp. How dare him.

               (To be continued)

________________________________________________________________________________

[Author's Message...]

   I'm gonna die if anyone screenshotted my author messages