Hearing the doorbell ring, Felipe sighed and turned off his video game. Damn it. The butthole showed up just like he said he would.
“Mom. Could you get that? It’s probably Chad and I’m busy at the moment.”
Mrs. Alvarez gazed toward the front door and shook her head. “You’re too busy to answer the door when you know it’s one of your friends? Get it yourself, Felipe. I’m not your personal servant and got far more important things to do. Not to mention, who’s going to answer the door of your dorm room when you’re at college this Fall? I certainly won’t – so you better get used to doing it yourself.”
Felipe frowned. “Damn woman,” he complained under his breath. “Doesn’t she realize that it’s her responsibility? After all, I am her son and unquestionably didn’t ask to be born to a middle-class household like this one. I deserve better.”
Mrs. Alvarez smiled.
“Did you say something, Felipe?” She then yelled from the kitchen. “I thought I heard you muttering.”
Felipe shook his head in reply and got up off the bed. “No, Ma. I didn’t say anything – at least not to you."
“Oh?” Felipe’s mother said, before turning toward the kitchen entrance-way. “Who were you talking to then?”
Felipe ignored her question and continued toward the front door.
Upon opening it, there stood Chad displaying a goofy smile. At least Felipe thought it was goofy. The ends of Chad Jr.’s mouth was curved upwards in a lopsided way and his eyes twinkled romance. It reminded Felipe of the doggy grin his Lab used to give when he came home from school.
God. I sure hate it that Peedy died last summer. He was always so happy to see me. And the way he would carry on … you'd think I had been gone for days instead of just a few hours. Unlike the humans I’m surrounded with … the dang dog knew what REAL LOVE was all about.
“Thanks for seeing me,” Chad said, taking Felipe’s hand and pulling his companion close. The two then shared a romantic kiss. However, all the romance seemed to come from Chad. Felipe’s response was about as warm as a dead fish.
“So. What did you need to see me about?” Felipe nonchalantly asked while leading his friend towards his bedroom.
Chad paused before he answered. And, as they reached the doorway, he gave his companion a warm smile, though deep inside his heart ached. “We need to talk about our future. I recently found out about something that could destroy the plans we made.”
“Plans?” Felipe gazed upward as if he hadn’t the foggiest idea what his friend was talking about.
“Yes,” Chad Jr. confirmed. “You know. The ones we made last spring involving us going to school together and possibly getting joined in a civil ceremony after we graduate.”
Felipe grinned. However, it wasn’t the romantic, joyful type of grin one would expect upon being reminded of something good. This one had a distinct sinister quality about it.
“Oh, yes,” Felipe non-caringly responded. “Now I remember. So what’s the problem? Aren’t we going to the university in Santiago as expected?”
Chad frowned and shook his head. “Not unless we take immediate drastic action we won’t.”
Felipe moved an inch closer and motioned for Chad to take a seat, and when the kid responded with a quivering smile, he awarded him a small childlike kiss.
“So what’s changed?” Felipe asked, adopting a parental tone. “I thought everything was laid out and next week we’d confirm our acceptance at the university in Santiago and work on getting assigned the same dorm room.”
“I know,” Chad Jr. said with a nod. “But a serious wrench in our plans has occurred.”
Felipe turned and gazed into his companion’s dark-brown eyes and the wideness of his pupils indicated he was serious. “What’s happened?”
Chad glanced downward. “They’re trying to break us apart,” he cried as a lone tear began to stream down his right cheek. “And I don’t know why. You’ve always been good to me and we’ve shared such great times together, and we’re going to have many more. What we’ve shared has been just the beginning. But now. Now. They’re trying to tear us apart.”
“Who’s trying to tear us apart?” Felipe shouted in anger as he wrapped his arm around Chad's shoulder. “Whoever it is, I’ll kill them.”
“No! Wait!” Chad said, shaking his head. “Please don’t kill them, Felipe. It’s my parents and they’re the only ones I have. I love them. But, I can’t stand what they are trying to do. It’s just not right. It’s so unfair.”
“OK, I won’t,” Felipe said, drawing his companion close to his chest as if his lover was a small child. “And don’t let yourself get so upset. Whatever they’re doing – well – I'm sure we’ll be able to work things out so we’ll be together.”
Chad Jr. glanced upward and stared into Felipe’s eyes. “Do you really think so?”
Felipe smiled and nodded affirmatively – and Chad displayed a crooked, insecure smile as he pulled himself upward and gave his father-figure a kiss.
An hour and a half later, Mrs. Alvarez sighed the moment she saw Chad Jr. open her son’s bedroom door and exit through the front door.
The sound which had been coming from Felipe’s bedroom several minutes earlier certainly was not exactly ear piercing, however, its distinctness was enough; she knew exactly what had transpired.
“Well. Do you think you might get anything done this morning since you’ve gotten your rocks off?” she asked her son a second later when she saw him grinning from ear to ear.
“Oh, I don’t know,” he casually replied. “I may need to rest up a bit. Chad and I are planning to go into town this afternoon and you just never know where things may lead from there.”
Mrs. Alvarez guffawed.
“I just don’t see it. Why do you keep this relationship going when all you ever do is use the poor boy just as if he was a puppy?”
Felipe loudly chuckled.
“Well, for one – Chad is one sure heck of a good lay. And two, the poor kid thinks he’s in love with me.”