<Matthew Erwin>

My phone buzzed after I accepted the invitation to his work's annual Christmas party.

It was Mom calling.

It caught me out of the blue, she never calls. Only when it's emergencies.

I anxiously answer, "hello?"

"Matthew!" Her tone wasn't as I anticipated. She wasn't worried. She wasn't scared. She was excited.

"Mom, what's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"Yes, better than okay! I need you to come down. We have a huge surprise," she giggled. I haven't heard my mom this happy since I graduated high school.

"You live like 2 hours away!" I complained, "can't you tell me on the phone?"

"Matthew, I promise this is the best thing you'll ever see. Please come down."

I hear the phone breaking out on the other line.

"Matthew, you won't believe this! Come home!" My sister, Angela, screeched in delight.

"Alright, fine," I groan.

I frantically search around the house for my wallet and coat. I already know this train ride is going to be dreadful.

I stop, thinking about Lewis. Should I bring him along?

Maybe I shouldn't. We aren't dating.

"I would love to!" Lewis abruptly shouts in my mind.

I tend to forget that he can hear my thoughts.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I would love to tag along to wherever you're going!" He squeals.

Meet me at the 9th Street station.

"On my way now!"

I can't believe Lewis is going to meet my parents. I'm sure Mom would be pleased but what about Dad?

I could just see it now, Dad screaming at me with a beer in his hand, telling me how disgusting it is to be with a guy.

I don't know if he's a homophobe. However, he's a drunk. He might not understand.

Oh crap. I haven't even told my parents about Lewis at all.

Oh no! More crap! They don't know about that soulmate telepathic thing. How am I going to explain to them?

My parents have never been into much new technology other than their smartphones. Dad always rambles on about how everything is getting so advanced and difficult to understand. This will definitely not make any sense to him.

I remember a couple of days before the car accident happened, Dad was explaining to me how love is love. But consent is everything.

"Whether you want things to happen but she doesn't, back off." Dad told me as we ate out.

"Ew Dad, I know," I groaned, flustered about the stupid talk.

"I'm serious, Matt. If you are about to do the do, but she changes her mind, you back off."

"Got it, Dad," I roll my eyes. This was simple knowledge.

"You take care of her. And if she says no. You comply. You always back off. Because consent is everything."

"Can we please change the subject? I don't want to puke while eating my fries," I complain.

"Not until you repeat what I said. I need to know that you are comprehending what I'm saying."

I signed in annoyance, "If I want things to happen, but she doesn't, I back off."

"Uh-huh," he nodded.

"If we are about to do 'the do', but then she changes her mind, I back off," I roll my eyes.

"And?"

"I have to take care of her. If she says no. I listen. I always back off. Because consent is everything."

"Good, but don't say 'have'," he continued to lecture.

"What?" I asked irritatedly.

"If you have to take care of her, then you don't love her and don't want to make sure she's alright. You get to take care of her. It is your duty of being the man in the relationship to care for your woman. Remember that."

To this day, that conversation makes me think. Like our other talks before, I never could wrap my head around what he was saying then. Now, hearing those rape cases on the news are chilling.

It makes me wonder if those rapists ever got the talk from their dads. Or if they did, why didn't they listen?

***
I gasp for air as I rushed to the station, waiting for Lewis.

Looking around, I spin in all directions, trying to find him.

I feel someone grab my shoulder, violently, I turn around.

It was Lewis. He was smiling.

"You're out of breath? Are you okay?" He patted my back, worried for my health.

"I'm-" I inhaled deeply, " I'm good," slowly catching my stamina.

"So, where are we going?" He asked curiously.

I face him, wiping the sweat off my brow, "Poughkeepsie."

"Why are we going there?"

"To see my parents," I yank on his hand, pulling him towards the ticket booth.

"Two tickets to Poughkeepsie," I tell the woman working the ticket booth.

"$56.74," she responds.

Quickly, I give her my debit card.

She hands me our tickets, "train B to Poughkeepsie is boarding in four minutes."

I gasp, pulling on Lewis, running as fast as I can down the stairs.

"I'm going to meet your parents?" Lewis stumbled, panting my behind me.

"Kinda, yeah!" I shout, focused more on getting to the subway in time.

I glance at my watch, two minutes left.

I try running faster, clutching tightly onto Lewis' hand.

"Excuse us, coming through!" I yell, shoving people out of our way.

One minute left.

I panicky search for train B. Where the hell is train B?

"Over there!" Lewis pointed, taking the lead, pulling me with him.

Several people were taking their sweet time entering the train.

Lewis rushes past them and pounces inside, taking me with him.

Lewis, slamming himself into the wall, me behind him, smacking into his back, our hands still holding on to each other.

"We made it," muffled, he said.

I find us a seat, drenched in sweat, panting like a dog on a summer day.

Exhaustively, I chuckle under my breath.

Lewis turns to me and smiles wearily, "I've never ran faster in my life until today," he laughed with me.

"Oh man," I giggle, still trying to breathe normally.

Now comes the next 2 hours.