From Rivals to Lovers

        

       “First of all, you made yourself look like a little jack ass in front of everyone! Your grandparents came all the way from Florida to see you and that’s what you gave them…and then I find you shoving your tongue in another guy’s mouth, and all you have to say for yourself is you’re in love with him? And your wedding is next week! What the hell is wrong with you?! You’d better get your fucking head straight before you move to New York. I am not going through life telling everyone I have an ass-ramming son!” Arion’s father yelled, pounding his fist against the kitchen table. Arion’s mother was crying at the kitchen sink, and Arion was sitting silently in his chair, looking down at the table.        

       “Now, I don’t know what the hell this whole thing is about, but let’s just put it in the past and move on…you’re marrying Victoria next week. Not only did Mr. and  Mrs. Francis pay a lot of money to have everything set up, but they’ve spent plenty of their time and effort. Invitations were sent out to everyone. Both of your uncles and all your cousins are coming out from Missouri. You’re not ruining this because you suddenly think you’re in love with another guy,” his father proceeded in a calmer tone, sitting down across from Arion. Arion remained silent, and the only sound that was heard throughout the room was his mother sniffling in the corner.           

        “What about what I want?” Arion asked after a moment, finally looking up at his father, his eyes glistening with tears. “What about my happiness? It’s my life!” he shouted, standing up abruptly. His father followed suit, standing up and then rushing over to bring his face just inches from Arion’s in order to intimidate him.

       “I’ll tell you something right now…if you run off with that boy, I’m not paying for that apartment in New York. You’ll be completely on your own. I won’t have this. I just won’t have it,” his father raged.

       “I don’t love Victoria! I never have,” Arion cried.

      “Maybe you should have fucking thought about that last year!”

       “I wish I had! Then I’d be with Revelin right now, and none of this would be happening!”

       “You wouldn’t be with him in my house; you’d be out on your ass!”           

        As they yelled back and forth, no one except for Arion’s mother noticed Revelin appear in the doorway of the kitchen.

       “Mr. Ambrose,” he spoke sternly, his arms folded across his chest. Everyone’s attention focused on the boy in the entranceway. “I’m in love with your son, and he’s in love with me. You can either accept that or leave us alone. We’ll be fine by ourselves, we don’t need your support. We’d like it, but we don’t need it,” he said, staying in the doorway.

       “Listen to me, kid. You have no idea how tough it is out there on your own. You won’t last a month. Especially not while trying to pay for college,” Mr. Ambrose preached condescendingly.

       “And would you really force your own son to go through that just because he fell in love with another guy?” Revelin pressed.         

        “I…he…” Mr. Ambrose hesitated, looking back and forth from Revelin to his crying son. In anger and irritation he slammed his fist against the table.

       “Damn right, I would! He can learn about his mistakes the hard way!” he yelled.

       “It’s not a mistake, dad! I love Revelin! Look, I’m just as surprised by it as you are. I thought I only liked girls…I still do…only Revelin changes that. He’s exactly what I want and need. I hate the fact that I’m ruining everyone’s plans, but I can’t marry someone I don’t love, especially not when someone I do love is right here in front of me. I’m sorry dad. I love you, but I can’t let you control my life when you don’t really understand how I feel,” Arion spoke confidently, his tears seizing as he stared straight into his father’s widened eyes.           

         Mr. Ambrose stood there in shock, Mrs. Ambrose gasped and leaned back against the sink, and Revelin smiled lovingly at Arion as he leaned against the doorframe.

       “Well you can have your life. Come back to visit on holidays if you want. I’ll just call everyone and tell them the wedding’s off because my son would rather suck cock,” Mr. Ambrose said coldly before walking out of the kitchen, shoving violently against Revelin as he exited. Revelin rushed to Arion and wrapped an arm around his waist, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

       “Mom?” Arion said quietly, looking up at his mother through a veil of hurt.

       “I…I just can't believe this!” his mother sobbed before running out of the kitchen.        

        “Hey, we’ll get through this. This is the hard part,” Revelin assured his boyfriend as they stood in the empty kitchen.

       “Oh, this is the hard part? What about the part where we have no money and we’re living in New York City attending one of the most expensive colleges in the U.S.?” Arion asked with a broken voice.

       “We can both get part-time jobs and live in a cheap apartment until we save enough money for someplace better,” Revelin said, lacing his fingers with Arion’s.

       “It wasn’t supposed to be this way. We had a really nice apartment all lined up, and dad was gonna pay the rent every month and send us any money we needed,” Arion mumbled against his boyfriend’s shoulder.

       “But you would’ve been with Victoria…would it have been worth it?” The other boy asked.         

        Arion leaned back and looked up into Revelin’s eyes. “Of course not…I mean, not after that night when I realized I was in love with you,” he said softly. Revelin leaned in and kissed his lips tenderly, still holding his hands in his own.

        “Everything’s going to be alright as long as we’re together,” he whispered.  

         The following week was extremely long and stressful for Revelin and Arion. Victoria was furious when she heard the news that Arion was cancelling the wedding and ending their relationship out of the blue, especially when she found out the reason behind it. She proceeded to tell everyone that Arion was a faggot, fairy, twink, cocksucker, and every other derogatory name for a homosexual. Only a few days afterward, it was revealed that she’d been sleeping with Craig Drayton, a football player and class council member who had been friends with Arion since freshman year, for about six months. Craig hadn’t said anything in fear of losing a friend and breaking up a wedding. That being said, Arion wasn’t too heartbroken for leaving her. 

        Revelin’s break up with Alec was a bit more painful. The two of them had been together since freshman year and, although he didn’t really love the boy, he liked him a lot and had sincerely enjoyed the time they’d spent together. He’d been like a good friend he also happened to have sex with, but he knew the relationship had always meant more to Alec. He hated to break the boy’s heart, but he knew what he had to do. Alec begged and pleaded for Revelin to take him back. He swore he’d do anything for him. He offered to change anything about himself; be more like Arion, if that’s what Revelin wanted. When Revelin insisted that Arion was the only one for him and refused to take Alec back, he cursed him and told him never to speak to him again; to stay out of his life forever. Before he left, Revelin told him he’d like to be friends if he’d ever allow it. The door was slammed in his face.