Warning: mentioned child abuse

~

"Baby, c'mon, it'll just be for a couple hours."

Sixteen-year-old Keith Brahms was crossed between fear and excitement. His boyfriend, Randy Harrison, was squatting on the tree branch outside his bedroom window, wearing a hoodie over his pajamas, his ginger hair and freckles glinting in the moonlight. His sweet smile bordered on slyness, almost as if he were trying to seduce Keith into the idea of sneaking out in the middle of the night. Keith had already checked the time on his phone: it was nearly one in the morning.

"You sure we'll be safe?" Keith asked.

"I promise," Randy reassured him. "Don't worry, it's not like I wanna burn down a building or anything."

Keith couldn't help but giggle at his lover's dark joke, as Randy had a sort of obsession with fire. But at the same time, he couldn't help but be worried. His mother was a bad sleepwalker, and if she heard Keith and Randy talking while passing his door, he would be in deep trouble. Of course, he always kept his door locked at night, but he didn't spend all day, every day holed up in his bedroom: he would have to face his mother eventually. And he was dead terrified of her: he knew very well what she could do to him.

"If my mom wakes up, I'm dead," Keith whispered, trying to sound calm, although he made sure he got his point across. "We both know she hates you."

Randy nodded solemnly, signaling that he understood.

"Put something on, okay?" he whispered. "I'll wait on the ground."

Keith agreed and gave Randy a quick kiss before throwing a hoodie on and putting on his sneakers. Carefully, he climbed out of his window and scampered down the trunk of the oak tree outside, landing right next to Randy.

"C'mon, I parked my mom's car nearby," Randy said with a grin.

Keith took Randy's hand and followed him to where Randy had parked his mother's car around the corner. The two hopped in, and as Randy started the engine, Keith could feel his heart pounding. Where were they going? What were they going to do? Having known Randy for over nine years, he knew it would be something exciting, something thrilling.

Randy drove for ten minutes before he arrived in the huge parking lot outside a Walmart. Streetlights illuminated the place, and the lights in the store were still on. Keith could barely keep his eyes open, but his curiosity prevented him from falling asleep.

"Darling, what're we doing here?" Keith asked. "I don't have any cash on me."

"Don't be a dumbass," Randy scoffed. "Just trust me, pretty boy." He winked, causing Keith's heart to flutter.

Not knowing what to expect, Keith followed Randy once more, this time out of the car and to the place where all the shopping carts were kept. He heard the familiar rasp as Randy withdrew one of the carts. He had a wide, mischievous smile on his face, and the beams from the streetlights were reflected in his hickory brown eyes.

"Hop in," Randy told his lover.

Keith's eyebrows shot up into his hair, but he did as he was told. He was nervous, but he knew Randy would never hurt him.

"What exactly are you gonna do?" Keith asked timidly.

"Take you for a ride, that's what!" Randy answered in an electrified tone. "Hold on tight, babe!"

Keith opened his mouth to protest, but before he could get out a single word, Randy took off and began sprinting around the parking lot, pushing the shopping cart with Keith in it in front of him.

"Woah!" Keith cried out, causing Randy to laugh.

Keith held on tightly to the edges of the shopping cart as the wind whipped through his jet-black hair. His heart was racing as fast as Randy was running, but he wasn't scared. The experience was exciting. Despite the speed of the cart, time seemed to slow down, and he was struggling to catch his breath as if he was the one who was pushing the cart and not his boyfriend. He wasn't used to an adrenaline rush feeling as wonderful as this one did.

Before Keith knew it, Randy had exited the parking lot and was now speeding down the sidewalk. The street lights flashed by like Keith was in a car on the highway, and he held on tighter than ever before. He could hear Randy panting behind him, and he realized that it was time to slow down.

"Hey, hey, take it easy," Keith said.

At last, Randy came to a stop, heaving in and out. His upper body collapsed onto the bar of the cart, and Keith chuckled as his head landed on his shoulder.

"That was fun," Keith giggled. He pressed his lips to the side of Randy's head.

"Yeah, I knew you'd like it," Randy panted, and he lifted his head to show that he was smiling.

"Shall we go back?" Keith suggested.

Randy nodded, and he leaned in, catching Keith's lips in his. Keith's heart jumped as he returned the kiss, and he reached up to run his fingers through Randy's hair.

"Wanna do this again sometime?" Randy asked as he pulled away.

Keith grinned and nuzzled his nose against Randy's.

"Sounds good to me," he replied.