Rumors About You and Me

I’m so glad at the response this got, especially those who said they felt the characters were realistic!!!! Thank you!!!

Rumors About You and Me: Chapter 2

xxxxxx

Brandon was at home lounging on his living room couch. It was past six o’clock and he felt weird for missing Matt. It was strange to have only known him for a few days and already he felt attached.

“Hey sweetie, how was your day?” His mom interrupted his thoughts.

“Hey mom,” he accepted her hug. “So guess who has a new boyfriend?”

“Really? Oh my God! Who’s your new boyfriend? Is it Matt?”

“Whoa…Hold up Mom.” Brandon knew that his mom was hoping for him to find a boyfriend, but he hadn’t expected her to be that excited…ok, he did expect it, but she was a little over the top. “There’s a rumor going around that Matt and I together.”

“Oh.” Her face fell. “So you’re not going to ask him out?”

“We’re friends.”

She smiled. “I know sweetie. I just want you to have a nice boyfriend. I like him.”

“I know mom. Thanks.”

She kissed his head and left him alone for the rest of the night.

He was really glad that he had the mother that he did. She had a pretty tough youth, and then a husband that walked out on her, but she loved Brandon and he knew that she would do anything for him. She was his support system, his confidant, and his friend. She was the most accepting person he knew and when he came out to her, her reaction was to hug her, say she loved him, and that she hoped he would meet a nice boy. It made it easier on him that she was so supportive. He never even wanted to think about what his life would be without her.

xxxxxx

The next day, Brandon still half-heard whispers about himself, even more, and less discretely than the previous day. So far, no one had made any comments to him about it outright, but he could almost feel the rumors growing and changing.

It probably didn’t help that Matt was so unconcerned about saying anything to anyone about the rumors. He hadn’t publicly denied them.

In a way, Matt’s response was positive. It showed Brandon that Matt was unconcerned about having a friend that is homosexual and displayed Matt’s maturity level.

Matt came over and sat with Brandon and Tyler at lunch, bringing his friend Amanda with him.

After introductions, Amanda focused her attention on Brandon. “God, you are a cutie!” She complimented. “I hope you’ve been treating my boy right!”

“We’re not…” Brandon started to correct her.

She interrupted him with a laugh. “Oh I know! Matt told me. I’m just picking on you!” She gave them a conspiratorial smile. “You would make a very cute couple though.”

“Don’t introduce her to your mom dude!” Tyler nudged Brandon’s arm.

“Trust me, I won’t.”

“What about your mom?” Matt asked, appearing confused.

“Ever since she met you, you’re all she can talk about. ‘Matt’s such a nice boy. You should find a nice boy like Matt,’” Brandon imitated his mother, earning laughs from the group.

Matt blushed. “Oh.” He paused. “Are you saying that you could find a nicer boyfriend than me?” his tone was light, a small smile teasing the corners of his lips.

“Now that you mention it, I don’t think I could ever find one as good as you!” Brandon dramatically declared as he laid his head on Matt’s shoulder.

“Considering what a douche your last one was, anyone would be an improvement,” Tyler put in his two cents.

Matt chuckled and stroked Brandon’s hair. “Well, it’s a good thing that I’m your boyfriend then.”

“Wow. I’ve never seen Matt’s adorable side. I think I’m going to choke on the cuteness of this situation,” Amanda joked to Tyler.

“The cuteness is much better than Brandon emo-ness.”

“Hey! When have I been emo?” Brandon retorted.

“Ummmm….Only for like half of your relationship with Dylan, when you found out all the people he was fucking, and all the shifty lies he told” Tyler’s voice was bitter sounding.

Brandon winced. “Umm…thanks for sharing that with the group.”

Brandon knew that Tyler couldn’t even stand the thought of Dylan after all that he went through, but he didn’t realize that hatred was deep enough that Tyler would spout that out to other people.

“Baby, you’re more than enough to single-handedly keep me satisfied,” Matt joked to break the awkwardness.

Matt kissed the top of Brandon’s head and Brandon felt a little bit better.

xxxxxx

As Brandon was walking out of math class, someone grabbed his arm and shoved him into a corner. He barely registered the sight of Dylan before he was pressed against the wall and forcibly kissed.

Dylan had done similar actions sporadically since their breakup, most likely attempts at getting Brandon to have sex with him, but Brandon hadn’t given in for three months, and he wasn’t going to start now.

He shoved Dylan off of him, Dylan’s teeth nicking the skin of his lower lip in the force of the extraction.

“I’ve missed you,” Dylan whispered, leaning in again.

Brandon stopped him. “You’ve missed my mouth.”

Dylan’s lips quirked upwards, “Well, that is true. You are the best cocksucker I ever had.” He brushed his finger against Brandon’s mouth as if to emphasize his point.

“You don’t have me any more.”

“So I’ve heard.”

Over Dylan’s shoulder, Brandon could see Matt quickly approaching, his eyes wide and round behind his glasses.

“Get your hands off of him!” Matt’s tone meant business.

Dylan turned his head and looked Matt up and down, slowly and deliberately raking his gaze over him, his expression broadcasting that he found Matt to be lacking.

“Seriously?” Dylan drawled the single word with malicious tones.

Brandon couldn’t stand the way Dylan was looking down on Matt, his anger rising. Insults about Dylan’s sexual prowess came to mind. Before his brain could filter out his thoughts he practically shouted:

“Matt can make me cum harder than you ever did!”

Shit.

He really needed to learn how to think before he spoke.

It was difficult to say which of the three of them was more shocked by his declaration.

Matt was the first to recover. “I think you should go now,” he directed Dylan.

Dylan surprisingly listened and backed off.

Left alone, Matt and Brandon stared at each other for a moment.

Tyler broke the tension. “Hey dudes, what did I miss?”

“You don’t want to know,” Brandon answered, feeling embarrassed.

Matt just nodded in agreement.

Tyler just remained confused.

xxxxxx

Tyler became un-confused the next day.

It was lunchtime when Tyler approached Brandon. “Dude…More rumors are getting told to me.”

“Oh?” Brandon meekly answered, he knew what was coming.

“The new one is that after school, Dylan tried to make a move on you, Matt got in the middle, you said Matt was better in bed, then you guys made out in the hallway in front of him.”

“Ummmm…Besides the making out bit, that story is uh pretty accurate.”

“What?” Tyler was laughing. “What happened?”

Brandon filled him in.

“Damn, you guys almost make it worth coming to school. It’s going to be ridiculous now. Either love triangle or threesome next I think.”

Brandon groaned at that. “Please no. God, I hope not.”

Matt slid in the spot next to Brandon. “Hey baby,” he kissed his cheek. “How’s your day going?”

“Don’t call me baby,” Brandon murmured as he noticed a group of freshmen girls watching them and giggling.

“Don’t worry Matt, he likes it. Baby’s just grumpy,” Tyler teased.

“Asshole,” Brandon frowned as he dug his spork into his salad, stabbing a tomato.

Amanda seemed to be the first to pick up on his negative feelings and shifted the conversation away from him until they were discussing subjects in which his input could be voluntary.

He didn’t even really know why he was so angry. So what? People were talking about him and what they were talking about wasn’t even true. Big deal. But he couldn’t seem to shake how annoyed he was by the whole situation.

And Matt.

Matt was being so nonchalant, but more than just nonchalant. He could even joke about it, joke about what those rumors meant.

Maybe that’s why Brandon was so mad. After everything that happened with Dylan, he didn’t think that relationships were something to joke about. Maybe he wanted to be in a relationship with someone for real. It had been awhile since Brandon had felt remotely interested in someone. Maybe it was time for him to go looking for one.

xxxxxx

After school, Brandon ran into Matt in the lobby.

“Hey,” Matt grinned at him. “Um…Did you want to come to my house tonight?”

Matt was giving him a very hopeful expression, Jesus was the kid giving him puppy dog eyes?

Were they actually working?

“Yes.”

Apparently so.

Matt’s smile widened, if possible, “Great! Did you want to meet at six?”

Matt looked so happy.

“Sure.”

Matt scribbled something on a notebook and handed it to Brandon. “Here’s my address and kind of directions. I actually live pretty close to you.”

“Okay.”

They stood looking at each other in silence for a prolonged minute.

Brandon broke the moment. “I’ll see you later then.”

“Awesome.”

xxxxxx

The time to go to Matt’s house came very quickly for Brandon. It was an easy place to find. Brandon rang the doorbell, he could hear a dog barking from inside the house.

Matt answered the door. “Hey come on in.”

As soon as he cleared the doorway, a medium sized Beagle was jumping on him excitedly.

“Hey honey,” he said to the dog and pet it, it’s tail thumping wildly on the floor.

“That’s Dizzy. She’s kind of hyper.”

“She’s cute,” Brandon complimented as he scratched behind her ear and she looked at him adoringly.

Matt chuckled. “I think you made a friend for life. She loves you.” Matt let him have a minute with his dog. “Come on, my family wants to meet you.”

Brandon was led into a kitchen where Matt’s mom was cooking and Matt’s dad was reading the paper.

Matt got their attention. “Mom, dad, this is my friend Brandon. Brandon, my mom and dad.”

Matt’s mom turned away from the stove. “Oh hello. We’ve heard so much about you Brandon. It’s so good to meet you.”

He shook both their hands.

“It’s good to meet you too.”

“Did you want to stay for dinner? I’m making spaghetti and meatballs,” she offered.

“Umm…” he glanced at Matt’s smiling face. “Sure. Thank you.”

“Wonderful! Now you boys get out of my kitchen. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”

“Ok mom.” Matt led Brandon upstairs. “I want you to meet my sister. Hey Lily, I want you to meet a friend of mine.”

A tiny tow-headed girl popped out of a room. She was probably about four years old and completely adorable. She had the same green eyes as Matt, and Brandon could see a little dimple in her cheeks.

“Lily, this is my friend Brandon.”

Brandon crouched down to her level. “Hey Lily.”

“Hi,” she smiled a little wider. “You’re pretty.”

Matt and Brandon laughed.

“Lily, guys are handsome, girls are pretty,” Matt told her.

She shook her head. “He’s pretty.” She grabbed Brandon’s hand. “Let’s play!”

Matt laughed. “No, Lily, I don’t know if Brandon wants to play. Remember what we talked about? Asking people not telling?”

She frowned and nodded. “Do you wanna play?”

Then she shot him puppy dog eyes that were even more effective than Matt’s. It was adorable.

Brandon glanced at Matt, “Maybe just for a little bit honey.”

“Yay!” She grinned and practically bounced into her room. She had legos all over the floor. “I’m making a castle! You can help!”

As they assembled the pieces, Lily chattered about everything, about her preschool, her favorite things, and favorite people, Matt apparently was her ‘favorite-est.’ Brandon hadn’t ever really had an opportunity to be around young kids and he found himself having a lot of fun.

There was a moment when he realized Matt was staring at him. There was a very fond expression on his face, his eyes soft and his mouth smiling. It made Brandon feel that comfortable, warm feeling in his chest.

“So princess, what do you think about your castle?” Brandon asked her when they were finished.

Lily was beaming. “It’s just right!”

“What do you say to Brandon?” Matt interjected.

She sighed. “Thanks for helping.”

“You’re welcome princess.”

Matt tugged on his arm to get him out of the room and into his. Matt’s room was basically what Brandon had expected. It was neat and organized, decorated in blues and grays. There were some awards on a bookshelf that drew Brandon’s attention. They were for the school’s math-lete team. He hadn’t known that Matt was a member, but he could believe it with how good Matt was at math.

“Hey, thanks for being so good with her. She had a lot of fun,” Matt told him.

“It was cool man. I never really have been around kids. She’s cute. It was fun for me too.”

Matt grinned at him. “I’m glad.” He tilted his head slightly to the side. “Ummm…you seemed kind of upset at lunch, I wanted to apologize.”

Brandon’s eyebrows crinkled in confusion. “Why do you need to apologize?”

“I don’t need to apologize? I mean, you seemed kind of mad at me.”

Brandon sighed. “I’m not mad at you. I’m just…I don’t really know. I don’t really like people who don’t know me watching me and talking about what should be my business.” He glanced at Matt. “I feel like I’m the girl about it, you’ve been so easygoing about the whole thing.”

Matt shrugged. “Well, there’s worse people they could say I’m dating.”

“The rumors say your fucking me. Hard. In the ass. Not just dating me.”

Matt blushed a little at that. “Again, there’s worse people they could be pairing me with.”

Matt was giving him a timid smile and Brandon couldn’t find it in him to continue his point.

“Okay.”

Matt’s smile faded. His voice was unsure, but steady, as he asked “Are you upset that it’s me? Is that the problem?”

“Matt, don’t even say that! We’ve already gone over that I think you’re awesome and I like hanging out with you.” Despite Brandon’s reassurance, Matt was still not meeting his eyes. “Why would you think that?”

“I know what I am.”

Not this again. It made Brandon’s chest hurt.

“What do you think you are?”

Matt sighed. “I’m just…I’m average and dorky. I’m a math-lete.” He stopped. “Can we not talk about this?”

Brandon stepped closer. “I think your wrong. I think your awesome. You are nice to everyone, you’re so smart about everything, you love animals, your kid sister loves you, my mom loves you, you’ve got fantastic eyes.” Brandon almost stopped the compliments, but the eye comment got Matt looking at him again. “And don’t get me started on those dimples.”

That brought a shy smile to Matt’s face. “Okay, okay, you can stop that now.”

Brandon sighed dramatically, “What kind of boyfriend would I be if I did that? Especially when I have the best boyfriend ever,” Brandon joked.

Matt laughed in response. “Well, you’re the best boyfriend I’ve ever had.”

Brandon was just glad that Matt was smiling and that the tense feeling in his chest had lifted.

xxxxxx

Dinner with Matt’s parents was a more awkward affair than Brandon had been expecting. They were a lot more formal than his mother was and he had never really gotten used to parents that were that way. They were asking him a lot of questions and it made him nervous that his answers weren’t quite good enough.

Luckily, little Lily seemed to be a very effective ice-breaker. She seemed to unknowingly chime in at the right moments and took some of the pressure off of Brandon.

Matt seemed to be trying to help things along as well. He would glance at Brandon every now and then and at one point Brandon swore Matt intentionally leaned his knee against his in a reassuring gesture.

Brandon was never more grateful for a meal to end and for them to be back in Matt’s room.

“Sorry about them,” Matt apologized.

“No man, they were fine. I’m just well, you’ve met my mom. You know?”

Matt smiled at him, “Yeah, your mom is totally awesome. My parents are just like, traditional or something.”

“Yeah, it’s not a bad thing, I’m just not used to it,” Brandon tried to explain.

Matt seemed to understand. “So, movie or videogame?”

And their night went on, comfortable in each other’s presence.

xxxxxx

The next day was Saturday, and Brandon had never been more happy for the weekend to come. He just wanted to spend some time alone to chill and maybe hang out with Tyler a bit. He felt as if he had been barely seeing his best friend lately, and maybe felt a little guilty about it. So he was going to go to his favorite café and read, then head over to Tyler’s house.

His favorite café was a little local place that was not a Starbucks. It was called “The Java Jive” apparently after some jazz song that Brandon had never heard before. It was a really great atmosphere and made the best coffee that Brandon ever had. It also helped that the baristas were usually young and attractive. One of the cutest was a guy named Ben, who went to Brandon’s school, who he always flirted with a bit.

As he came in, he was glad to see that Ben was working the counter. He smiled as he approached.

Ben glanced up at him and grinned. “The usual?”

“Of course.” Brandon was about to make a flirtatious comment as Ben made his drink, when Ben’s words stopped him.

“So I wanted to congratulate you.”

“Congratulate me?”

“Yeah on having a new boyfriend! Matt helped me out in math last year. He’s like the nicest guy ever! I never thought he was into guys, but that’s a good surprise.” He looked sincerely into Brandon’s eyes. “You’re really lucky. I bet he’s so sweet.” He handed Brandon his drink.

“Um…thanks.”

He ended up taking the coffee to go and heading to Tyler’s. After that conversation, he couldn’t sit still enough to read.

xxxxxx

Tyler’s mom let him in the house and he went straight up to Tyler’s room. Tyler was on his bed playing guitar, a usual sight.

“Hey man,” he flopped down next to his friend.

“What’s up dude?” Tyler asked.

“I just realized something stupid.”

“Oh? And that’s different than normal?”

Brandon poked him. “Thanks. I’m serious. I just realized with these rumors, everyone thinks they’re true.”

“Ok-ay,” Tyler drew out the word.

“So, if they think they’re true, that means I can’t hit on people like Ben the barista. He would think I’m sleazy. Especially since I just had a conversation with him gushing about how great it is that I‘m ‘dating’ Matt.”

“You’re looking to date again?”

“Not really, but with these rumors and people believing they are true, it isn’t an option at all. And not for Matt either.”

Tyler gave him a serious look. “Maybe you should talk to Matt? So you guys can end it? You know, have a fake break-up or whatever.”

“Yeah maybe.” Brandon still felt glum for some reason.

“Text him and talk to him tomorrow. Right now I want to kick your ass at guitar hero.”

“Oh, it is on!”

xxxxxx

The next day, Brandon made his way to Matt’s house. He wasn’t sure how to bring up what he wanted to talk about. It was a weird subject to lead into. How do you break up with someone who you aren’t really dating in the first place?

Matt and his dog greeted Brandon at the door and he was led up to Matt’s room.

“Um…there’s something I wanted to talk to you about, about the rumors.”

“Sure, what is it?”

“I think we should stop the rumors and tell people it’s not true. I mean, it’s not like I’m interested in anyone, but no one would want to date you if they think you’re with me. Neither of us can have real relationships.”

“That’s fine with me. Not like anyone would want to date me anyway,” Matt’s voice was small and sad.

“Matt, don’t say stuff like that. It’s not true.” Brandon disagreed. It made his chest hurt when Matt said those things about himself.

“Well no one’s been interested in dating me. I’ve never even kissed anyone. Who’d want to date me for real?”

Before his mind could catch up to his body, Brandon had closed the distance between them, grasped the collar of Matt’s shirt, and kissed him.

When his brain caught up, he realized that Matt’s lips were soft and warm against his. One hand was still wrapped in Matt’s collar, the other was cupping the side of Matt’s face until it slid along his jaw. It felt good. He wasn’t being pushed away, so he continued moving his mouth against Matt’s and gently ran his tongue against Matt’s lower lip. He wanted to deepen the kiss. Matt made a small sound as Brandon did so and he proceeded to lick the roof of Matt’s mouth. He sucked on Matt’s lower lip before releasing him.

Matt raised a hand to his mouth, his face a picture of pure shock. “You kissed me,” he whispered.

“I’m sorry!” Brandon blurted out before dashing out of the house and into his car.

Brandon broke speed limits as he raced to Tyler’s house. He let himself in and ran up the stairs to Tyler’s room. Tyler was fiddling around with his guitar when Brandon burst in.

“Hey dude, what’s going on?” Tyler asked, concern showing on his features.

Brandon began to pace. “I don’t even know why I just did what I did! I must be so stupid!”

Tyler made a disappointed noise, “Don’t tell me Dylan…”

“No! Not Dylan! Dylan I would almost understand! This is just…not me.”

“So, fill me in,” Tyler put down his guitar and focused all his attention on Brandon.

The story of what had just occurred came pouring out of his mouth.

“I practically mouth-raped him!”

Tyler’s snort caused Brandon to stop pacing the room and actually look at his friend. Tyler looked as if he was using every muscle in his entire body to keep from laughing.

“What?” Brandon snapped.

“You’re acting like it’s the end of the world, like someone died or you killed them or something. All you did was kiss a guy, which you’ve done before.”

“Well, yeah, but not Matt. And Matt’s straight!”

“Is he?” Tyler was the second person to ask that question, Brandon’s mother being the other.

“We’ve never really talked about it.”

Tyler looked at him with his most serious face. “How do you feel about him?”

“I like him a lot, I’ve just never really thought about him sexually.”

“Did you like kissing him?”

Brandon felt his face blushing. “I kind of was latched onto him, he didn’t participate really, but I um, I think I liked it.”

“Well then, maybe you should do it again sometime.”

Tyler said that as if it were just that easy.

Brandon sighed, “I don’t know Tyler.”

“Without wanting to sound like your mom, I think you’d be good for each other dude.”

Brandon shrugged. “I really think I need some time to think about everything. I just hope I didn’t mess up a good friendship.”

“I’m sure you didn’t bro.” Tyler gave him a hug.”

“Thanks man, you’re the best.”

Brandon was just worried about what Monday would bring.

xxxxxx

I hope that didn’t get overly dramatic! Anyways I hope you enjoyed! Thanks!