We went back to the table and sat down. My clueless parents continued talking to each other about work, probably not even noticing that we were back.

                The waiter came and set our food down in front of us. I placed my napkin in my lap to avoid more chastising from my mother, and began to eat using my manners. Damn mothers. Why did they have to be so mother like?

                “What are we doing after dinner?” I asked. Maybe we could go to the movies or even mini golfing or something.

                “I have work to do,” my parents said at the same time. I mentally sighed. Of course they had even more work to do.

                Tommy took my hand under the table and squeezed it gently, shooting me a knowing look. I offered a small smile to show him I was okay. I was used to it by now. My parents had always been workaholics, and I had gotten used to it.

                We finished eating and went out to the car. Mom pulled out and onto the main road, driving silently.

                “Tommy, do you want us to drop you off home?” dad asked to break the silence.

                Tommy nodded. “Yes please. Zeke can come over, if he wants. And thanks for dinner,” he said with a grateful nod.

                “It was no trouble at all,” dad said, cracking a smile at Tommy.

                Mom pulled into Tommy’s driveway a few minutes later, impatience on her face. “Goodbye,” she said flatly as we got out of the car. She probably had a certain time she wanted to start work.

                “B-” Mom had pulled out of the driveway before I got to even mutter my goodbye. Oh I loved my mom and dad.

                Tommy took my hand and pulled me around back. We climbed into the tree house he and his brothers had built with their dad as kids. I cuddled up to Tommy and he wrapped an arm around me, kissing me.

                “Does it bother you?” he asked.

                I shrugged. “Not really. I mean, at least they still do things with me sometimes. Not like Trace’s mom. She left him for her work. My parents wouldn’t do that.” But my voice sounded unsure, even to me. Would they leave me for work?

                “No, I don’t think they would,” Tommy agreed. “But I still think it’s wrong that they neglect you the way they do. Even your dad sometimes.”

                I blushed, not really wanting to talk about this. It made me uncomfortable. It’s not like my parents were abusive or anything. They lent me money, they kept me well fed and clothed, we lived in a nice house, they had a college savings for me, and we went out together on rare occasions. I hated feeling ungrateful towards my parents. They did a lot for me.

                “I can read you so well,” Tommy mumbled, staring into my eyes, searching them. There was shade where Tommy was sitting, so his eyes weren’t shining quite as much as they usually did. I found myself getting lost in them.

                “Hey!” I cried as something hit me and exploded, getting me wet. I looked down with a deep frown and Tommy sighed and released me.

                “My brothers sure know how to ruin a moment,” he grumbled as I picked up the piece of popped balloon. I glared out the window of the tree house as Mikey ducked behind a bush.

                “Oh, it’s on like Donkey Kong,” I growled, getting up and moving to the ladder. Tommy sighed again and followed me down the ladder so we could kill his stupid older brothers.

                As soon as we hit the ground, I regretted it. “Run for your life!” I cried in terror as the sky was covered with an army of water balloons.

                Okay, so it was more like two. Still.

                I ducked behind Tommy with a yelp. The water balloons struck Tommy and popped, getting him soaked. Jesus they were giant ass water balloons!

                “Thank you for that Zeke,” Tommy said with a sigh, looking down at his wet…white..shirt…

                My eyes widened and I placed my hand on his wet shirt. “Holy shit. HIT HIM AGAIN YOU GUYS!” I cried, shoving Tommy at the bushes his brothers were hiding behind. I heard them laugh as they launched more water balloons at Tommy.

                A few hit me but, hey, I wasn’t the one wearing a tin, white shirt. Tommy was absolutely drenched now, his blond hair hanging in his face and his shirt see through and sticking to his muscular body.

                He glanced at me and sighed, pushing his hair out of his eyes and moving to me. “You, sir, are in trouble,” he said, grabbing my arm and thrusting me forward. “Do it up boys.”

                I whined as they pelted me with water balloon after water balloon. A breeze decided to blow by once they were done with me and I shivered, instantly freezing.

                “I feel like I just fell off the Titanic,” I groaned, rubbing my arms in an attempt to warm up.

                Tommy chuckled and came over, wrapping his arms around me. I jumped and shivered more. Tommy backed off, rolling his eyes.

                “What? You’re wet too! Just not as drenched as I am,” I grumbled, looking down at my soaking wet self.

                “Your fault,” he said with a shrug as his brothers appeared from the bushes, grinning and laughing at us.

                “Better get Zeke inside and give him a towel before he freezes to death,” Mikey pointed out, playfully shoving me. I slipped a little and Tommy caught me before I could fall, nodding at Mikey’s suggestion.

                We went inside and Tommy grabbed us towels. We took our shirts off and went into the living room with them.

                “Boys! Oh! Michael! Samuel! It’s cold out! Do not throw water at them, especially when they are in their clothes!” Sally said angrily, coming over and snatching our clothes.

                “Mom, we were just messing around,” Sammy said with a frown.

                “Yea,” Mikey agreed.

                “Well don’t do it! Whose idea was it?” she demanded. Mikey pointed at Sammy, and Sammy pointed at Mikey. They both glared at each other.

                “Tommy went along with it!” they cried at the same time, turning their accusing fingers on him now. “He told us to attack Zeke, and Zeke told us to attack Tommy!”

                “Hey, don’t drag me into this. I don’t feel like wrestling with you idiots. I just want to dry off,” Tommy said with a sigh, grabbing my hand and dragging me away before the inevitable fight between his brothers. The brothers were always fighting, and they dragged Tommy into it a lot.

                Tommy gave me clothes to borrow. We dried off, changed, and sat on his bed together, cuddling up comfortably.

                “Tommy, do you ever get…jealous?” I asked nervously.

                “Course I do. I’m jealous that Kory catches your attention. I want all of your attention. Do I sound selfish? Yes. Do I care? No. You’ll love me more than him someday,” he said and kissed me.

                “I think I will,” I said softly, not entirely sure of myself. Would I ever really get over Kory? God I sure hoped so. I wanted to move on and be happy with Tommy already.

                After a while, I got up and kissed Tommy deeply. “I have to get home,” I said with a sigh. Tommy nodded and walked me to the front door. He waved to me as I left, his eyes making me squint.

                                                                                ***Tommy’s POV***

                “Heading to the soccer fields Tom?” dad asked as I pulled my cleats on. I nodded and stood up, pulling the front door open.

                “I’ll be home a little after dark. Tell Mikey and Sammy they can join me if they want,” I said with a shrug before leaving.

                I made my way to the soccer field, grabbing a soccer ball out of the supply shed. I began to dribble around the field, practicing my foot skills and fake out moves. My mind, however, was on Zeke.

                Do you ever get…jealous?

                That was such a stupid question. Of course I got jealous. But I couldn’t blame Zeke. You couldn’t help who you fell in love with, and he was trying. I knew he was trying so hard to get over Kory and fall in love with me.

                I wasn’t in love with Zeke, but I was getting there. I had always had strong feelings for him. It’s why I had stayed quiet about my being gay. I didn’t want to creep him out. Then he came out as gay and started dating Kory. Kept quiet a little longer. Now I was out and with Zeke, and happy as hell about it.

                I sighed and began to take shots on the goal. Zeke and I had been friends most of our lives. We had basically grown up together. Zeke had always invited me over instead of my brothers, even though Sammy was his age and I was younger.

                Dammit. I had to find some way to make Zeke fall in love with me. Hell, I had even helped Trace to get Kory to fall more in love with him. I stood on the edge of a fucking cliff holding a sign and playing music for Trace and Kory. I was hoping that seeing them so in love would help Zeke get over Kory faster, but it just wasn’t going down that way.

                Hm. I was starting to turn into a jealous person. I wasn’t sure I liked that. I knew I was protective, but I had never known myself to get quite so jealous. But hey, it was Zeke. I couldn’t help myself. The sight of that boy drove me crazy. I imagined myself doing some very dirty things to that attractive boyfriend of mine.

                I pulled my foot back to take another shot on the goal. Something hit my back and I stumbled forward, the ground painfully introducing itself to my face as I heard laughter erupt behind me.