~Kaylen~

ecophobia /●n.  fear of home

Home. The place where you're safest and most comfortable.
Family. The people who make you forget your fears and insecurities.

But at the moment, I was totally freaked out about reaching home and facing my parents. They've always been supportive about everything but I was too afraid to know their opinion on me sleeping with my professor. The person I was most afraid of, naturally, was papa.

I knew dad was the soft one and papa took everything to the extremes. I just hoped I didn't mess things at home. I hoped I could stop being ecophobic and tell them all the truth.

~Emerald~

I leaned my head against the window, closing my eyes. 

There was nothing I could do. Nothing at all.

The only route open for me was moving towns. I was living my dream job, and after being fired from one of the best colleges because of such a reason, there would be no one who'd be willing to give me a job. A pedophile is what they would all call me.

Kaylen was no child. He was practically an adult and sometimes acted even more adult that I possibly did. But they didn't bother hearing any of it. Maybe they were right, Kaylen and I would only encourage such relationships in the university if I had happened to stay. Professional life shouldn't be tampered with by the personal one.

This was one of the worst mistakes I had made in my life.

I had never even doubted my sexuality before this. I was straight, always had been. And then he showed up and messed me up, inside out. How can someone hold so much power? He basically changed my life... for worse. If he wasn't there, everything would've gone normally. I would still be mourning over Andrea but I would at least be better than this.

I had decided I would move to my parent's house for a while. I needed their support and Jordon needed someone to look after him as I try to pull myself together--emotionally and professionally. But I was afraid of telling the truth to my parents. I didn't want them to judge me or hate me. They hadn't come off as homophobic as far as I could remember but I was too scared to find out what they would think about me sleeping with a student. I was so scared that I almost had ecophobia. But home was the only place I could think of going. I would just have to prepare myself for the repercussions. 

~~

Jordon was not happy about leaving his friends behind, but as I had known, he was happy about making more. 

He was about to host a grand farewell party for himself that night as I tried to set up an online advertisement to put my house on rent. 

The college authorities had held back my salary of the last two months so I was facing a loss and I knew it would take some time for me to get myself a decent job so the rent would help. I also had some savings to get us through the next couple of months, so I didn't change anything about Jordon's expenses. I had taken the responsibility of a good upbringing for my child and I would fulfill it till I die.

"Daddy! My friends are about to come in an hour! We haven't ordered pizza yet!" He shrieked from downstairs. 

"You know where the phone is, baby!" I shouted from my room as I designed my advert. 

My phone rang on my desk and I picked it up, my heart beating a little faster than it was a few seconds ago as I saw his name flashing on the screen. I had been avoiding his call since yesterday after he had left my house. I didn't want to hear his apologies. We were both equally at fault but he was the one who had kissed me in the corridor right after I had told him that what we were doing was risky. We had practically served the proof to the bitch on a silver platter. Unquestionably, I was mad at him.

Like I said, since the guy showed up in my life, I've been messed up.

The phone rang again. And again. And again. He was just pissing me further. I decided to pick it up and tell him to never call me again.

"Kaylen, look I--"

"Mr. Blake?" Came a sound that wasn't of the man I was pissed at. 

"Uh...Who's speaking?" I asked nervously.

"Hello, Mr. Blake. This is Noah, Kaylen's dad."

"Hello Mr. Lutyens." I said in a timid voice. What did he want to talk to me about?

Had he called to blame me for this? Oh God, has Kaylen been expelled?

"Can we meet, if it isn't too much?" He asked. His voice sounded sweet and soft but that could've just been a bait.

"I...I'm not sure about that Mr--"

"Trust me, it's important."

"Okay," I gave in. Not like I had much of a choice.

~~

The Lutyens' had invited me and Jordon over for lunch the next afternoon. Why they would want Jordon to come was beyond me but I couldn't decline. 

So I was dressing up a very sleepy son of mine and giving him the 'behave' talk which I'm sure was going into an ear and straight out of the other. He was practically leaning into my shoulder as I pulled up his pants. His farewell party had gone till three o'clock in the morning, basically turning it into a sleepover. About twenty little children had slept at my house last night, making me feel like an owner of some nursery.

I picked Jordon up and went out, seating us in the car. As I had known, he fell asleep halfway through the ride. So when I reached the driveway of the house we were invited to, I picked him up in my arms and walked to the door, him still snoring on my shoulder.

So much for being professional.

I pressed the bell and waited till a pair of footsteps was heard and the door was opened to reveal a very charming man. He had a good few inches above me, almost the height of Kaylen. He wore a smile and had brown eyes exactly like Kaylen. This was definitely Mr. Lutyens.

"Hello! You must be Mr. Blake. Please come in." He said with a smile and stepped aside. That went smooth.

I entered their house with Mr. Lutyens showing me the way to their drawing room. Jordon shifted, changing pillows from my left shoulder to my right. It was already so awkward and my son was making it more difficult for me to keep myself composed. 

Kaylen's father chuckled as he gestured for me to take a seat. "Kids!"

His voice sounded different than it did over the phone. I simply smiled back.

"Hey Mr. Blake." Came the voice of the one and only. I watched as Kaylen descended the last step of the stairs and walked over to me with a guilty smile on his face. I felt slightly guilty for ignoring him for the past days. After all, we were kind of in it together.

"Hey," I replied, adjusting Jordon on my lap.

"Can I take him?" He asked, stepping forward and looking at Jordon. The guilt that his eyes had earlier, was now replaced with a little bit of happiness. He adored my kid, I knew that much.

And my hand was starting to get tired already so I was happy to be helped.

"Thanks," I said, handing him over to the man I was fantasizing about having a future with, just two days ago. His hand brushed against my arm and I felt what I had always felt with his touch--goosebumps.

"Oh! I haven't introduced myself," Mr. Lutyens realised just as Kaylen left, making me confused. Well, he did over the phone yesterday.

"I'm Ian, Kaylen's father." He said, extending his hand. 

Wait. But Kaylen's dad's name was Noah, wasn't it? 

I took his hand and shook it. Was Kaylen messing with me? Had he pranked me yesterday or something? But why would he do that? Wait. Does Kaylen have two dads?

"Hey, Emerald!" Said the third male voice. I withdrew my hand from Ian's and looked to my left to see a very cute man coming out of what seemed like their kitchen. That was the voice I had heard over the phone.

Kaylen had gay parents!

"Hello, Mr. Lutyens." I greeted with a smile. 

Noah came over to what I had assumed was a handshake but he sat right next to me and put an arm around my shoulders in a side-hug. Well, that was surprising!

He was very beautiful with blue eyes and brown hair. Him and Ian together looked like a very handsome couple.

"Oh! I told you yesterday, please call me Noah." He said, smiling at me. His smile was so positive that I was instantly feeling relaxed. This whole family was of hypnotists! 

"Hey, Mr. Blake!" A fourth voice. Does Kaylen have three parents? I might have gotten a bit too far with that because a young guy came into sight, taking me by surprise again. He was a little less in built and height than Kaylen but they looked like brothers. 

"I'm Jayden. Kaylen's twin." He said, shaking hands with me with a smile. I returned the smile with a nod. 

The three sat around me on the couches and soon Kaylen joined them too. I felt a little intimidated. Their smiles were slowly disappearing and their faces were turning serious. Oh God! Were they going to humiliate me together? Beat me up? Sue me? Jordon! My son was inside their house now...what were they going to do to him? Use him as bait? No!

"Mr. Blake, are you okay?" Kaylen's voice came, making me jolt. He was sitting across from me, looking concerned.

"Uh...huh? Y-yeah." I replied shakily.

"Emerald," Noah said, putting a hand on my arm, making me flinch slightly. I was so helpless. "Kaylen has told us everything."

My eyes widened and I possibly paled. Now they were definitely going to do something.

"And we've decided," Noah continued as my heart hammered inside my chest, "that we're going to talk to the authorities for you. You shouldn't be fired."

A/N: Why is Emerald such a scared little baby?