Too Perfect to be true. Part 6

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Part 6

Will closed his eyes and pulled away suddenly from Jacob’s lips. He began force a fake laugh out at the top of his lungs.

“Laugh!” He yelled at Jacob. Jacob was confused. He looked out the windshield and saw Erin staring at the two of them. Without hesitation he began laughing as well, although, his laugh was much more nervous. 

“Oh fuck!” Jacob said through the laughter. He gave Will a look of desperation.

“Don’t worry man.” Will said with a false giggle. He pulled open the door and rolled out the front seat clutching his stomach. Erin just stared at him like he was completely insane. “HOLY SHIT!” Will yelled pointing at Erin. “The look on your face!” He pretended to catch his breath. “That made the whole thing worth it man.”

Erin looked confused…like it was too much for her ditzy blonde brain to handle. She looked at Jacob who fell out of the front seat trying to mimic Will’s lead.

“Yeah!” He yelled. “We uh…we got you good Erin.” He forced.

Will came around to Jacob’s side and put a hand on his shoulder. “Jacob saw you coming…It was his brilliant idea. That was the most disgusting shit of my life but man…” Will pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. “It was so worth it.”

Erin went to say something and then paused. She looked at the two of them and shook her head. Finally she cracked a smile. “You guuuys.” She managed to say. Her smile dropped and she grabbed a strand of her hair. “Oh my god that was like totally gross. You guys freaked me out.” She said snapping her gum. Will pushed Jacob in the back from behind, prompting Jacob to move forward.

“Uhh…yeah I know babe I’m sorry.” He fell towards her and grabbed her by the waste. She giggled. “You have to admit it was funny.” He said, shrugging back at Will from over Erin’s shoulder.

“I guess…” Erin said with a faint laugh. “Eeeew it was like a really bad SNL sketch.” She popped her gum again.

“Oh c’mon it was funnier than that!” Will laughed. Erin raised her eyebrow at him and turned to Jacob.

“Baby, can we go see a movie tomorrow night?” She pressed a hand into his chest. “Please baby?” She begged.

“Yeah…sure.” Jacob smiled. Erin ran a hand through Jacob’s tossed hair. Will felt his stomach turn.

“Okay baby, good. I really want to see that new Cameron Diaz movie. Looove her!” Erin said kissing Jacob on the cheek. “I have to go.” She turned back to Will. There was a look in her eye that shot deep into Will’s stomach. Erin stared at him like she owned Jacob. She was threatened by Will. “Really gross guys.” She said. “Like totally not funny.” 

“Sorry babe.” Jacob said.

“Oh my god if you were a fag.” Erin started and searched for something else to say. “Ew.” She finished. Jacob cracked a disgusted half smile and Erin pranced away.

The two boys were left standing alone in silence. Will looked up at Jacob. He wanted to laugh to lighten the mood but Jacob looked too upset. He could have punched Erin.

“Jacob…it’s…” Will started.

“Don’t Will.” Jacob said moving to his car door. Will stepped out of his way.

“Oh c’mon man, don’t do that!” Will said earnestly. 

“I just…I can’t talk right now Will, okay?” Jacob said. “Please, just let me go right now.”

Will pressed on.“Dude it’s not a big deal. She totally bought it.” He said.

“That’s not the point, Will.” Jacob demanded. He pulled open the door to his truck.

“Jacob, we just have to be more careful. That’s all man.” 

Jacob paused and looked at Will. He felt sick. “That’s not ‘all’, Will, and you know it.” He started. “Be more careful? God…We can’t…do this.”

Will shook his head. “Oh please. What, are you calling this off then?” He scoffed sarcastically.

“No…” Jacob started. “I don’t know, Will.” He climbed into his seat. “I just need some time to think.” 

“C’mon on Jacob stop!” Will demanded. He slapped a hand against the front of Jacob’s truck. Jacob started the engine.

“I’m sorry Will, I have to go.” Jacob said. He turned away from Will and shut his door.

“Alright, fuck you man.” Will mumbled. He kicked the tire of Jacob’s truck and began to walk away towards his car.

“Will!” Jacob yelled after him. He slammed his hands into his steering wheel in frustration. “Fuck!” He grunted. He watched as Will climbed into his car and quickly pulled away. All he had asked for was some time and space. What was wrong with that?

Jacob pulled the parking break down and began to drive away.

“Fucking asshole.” He thought to himself. “If he had any idea how fucking hard it was! I’m not the one with the disgustingly understanding parents.” He pulled out of the parking lot. “Why can’t he see that? He’s met my dad! He knows what he’s like.” 

As Jacob began to drive home, he realized that it wasn’t necessarily anger he was feeling, but jealousy. He loved Will’s parents and was put out by how accepting they were. It was everything he wanted his father to be. Will’s father had taken his hand and thanked him ‘for being so kind to his son.’ He couldn’t imagine what his own dad would do to Will if he found out the two were still seeing each other. Jacob felt desperate. He wanted something stable in his family…something to tell him things were going to be okay.

Jacob drove closer to his street and noticed the sign to the freeway. Without thinking, he turned suddenly. He began to drive away from his home.

****

Will banged on Kate’s door. She opened it with a sigh. Pulling the hair back from her face, she rolled her eyes.

“Jacob?” Kate asked expectantly. Will was taken back. Suddenly, his entire motive for seeing her changed.

“Wow…” He said and paused. He looked at the girl he had been friends with for almost 10 years. “Hey Kate…I’m sorry that you’ve become the friend I bitch to.”

Kate laughed. She shook her head and grabbed Will by the shoulder. “Give me a fucking break and get the hell in here.” She said. Will hobbled into her house.

They walked to her bedroom and she pushed Will forward onto the bed. “Ze bed is waiting for you my dahling.” She joked. Will complied and fell back. He stared up at the ceiling of her bedroom and searched for the right way to start the conversation.

“You were right.” He said.

“I know I was!” Kate yelled with joy. “About what?” She asked.

“About Jacob.” Will moaned. “You were right. It won’t work unless we can both be comfortable about it.” He paused and put his hands to his forehead. “But I don’t understand it.” He said. “I mean a few months ago…I would have killed for just a touch from him. Now I have something with him…something real…and all I can do is want more. God, I feel so selfish.”

“You’re not selfish Will.” Kate sighed. “You’re human. You want what anyone else would want: A normal, healthy relationship with the person you’re head over heals for.” She stopped. “Will, you told me yourself the second you got back from LA this past summer…you’re tired of pretending.”

Will rolled over onto his side. “I’m so lucky though. I mean I have the greatest parents in the world. I’ll never understand what Jacob is going through. How could I?”

“Now that’s just not true.” Kate said, sitting down on the bed with Will. “You’re Jacob’s best friend. You’re his lover. You’re gay and you’ve had to deal with the same things he has had to deal with.” She paused. “I still stand by the belief that Jacob just…needs to grow a pair. Will, you’re mature…He’s a great guy but he’s still so new to this. He’s had less time to sort things out.”

“I know. He’s so good to me though. I guess…I forget that sometimes.” Will said. “I just don’t know how much more patient I can be.”

“I know.” Kate said. “Give him time. Maybe it’s not about patience. Just let him come to you.”

“Bitching over.” Will said wiping a tear that had begun to form. He sat up on her bed. “You better have some bagle bites.” He laughed.

“Totally!” Kate said excited. “And my mom bought me The Princess Bride on DVD yesterday.” She picked up a copy of the campy film from her desk.

“That’s the gayest movie ever. Let’s watch it.” Will said excited. He followed Kate into the living room of her house. Despite what she had said, he couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to Jacob. 

****

“Alex!” David shouted from the street of Mr. Ericson’s apartment. He looked up at the window. It was around 5 o’clock and he knew his teacher would be home. “Hey, Mr. Ericson!” 

The twenty five year old teacher popped his head out the winder and looked down at the boy on the street below. 

“David?” He asked, taken back that David had come to his home.

“Hey teacher. Nice place.” David laughed from the street.

Alex leaned his head further out the window, resting his arms on the edge.“How do you even know…?” He started.

“School Directory man. It’s pretty dumb though…Why would they put your home address in there. I could totally vandalize your house.” David said, jokingly.

“What are you doing here?” Alex asked.

“Ah c’mon. I’m just here to say hello to my favorite teacher.” David smiled. He put his hand against the pole of one of the street signs.

Alex looked up and down the road. He was nervous someone might see them. He sighed and signaled David. “Why don’t you come up?” He said.

“Bout time.” David laughed.

****

Jacob pulled up to an old house with tulip boxes in the windows. He was incredibly nervous. He parked his truck and climbed out of the front seat. The driveway was gravel and the town he was in was much less built up and suburban than the one he was from. He walked up to the door of the old home and grabbed the brass knocker. He paused for a minute before letting it drop onto the plate. He knocked three times. There was no response. Part of him was relieved. He turned to walk away when he felt the door behind him open. A soft voice stopped him.

“Jacob?” The woman asked. 

Jacob turned around and gave a slight smile. His heart was pounding. “Hi mom.” He said.

Jacob’s mother beamed. She was an unconventionally pretty woman in her late forties. She had black hair that was held up into a massive pony tail with an out-of-style scrunchie. She was delighted to see her son and walked out giving him a strong hug. “What? What are you doing here?” She asked. “I don’t see you for another week.”

Jacob shrugged. He kicked the gravel at his feet and scraped his shoe on the ground. “I donno mom, I just felt like seeing you today.”

His mother raised an eyebrow. “Okay. Well, that’s nice then.” She said. “Come inside.” She grabbed him by the shoulder and kissed him on his head bringing him into her home.

Jacob followed his mother into her kitchen. His palms were sweating and his mind was racing. He looked around her home. He couldn’t help but crack a smile. His mother was very eccentric. She was an artist herself and had gathered many strange pieces over the years. Jacob noticed that all of his best pieces of artwork were hung from her walls. He wasn’t some football star to her. He was an artist. 

A cat ran under Jacob’s feet and rubbed intently against his leg. 

“Scooter!” Jacob yelled and picked up the purring cat.

Jacob’s mom smiled. “Your father let you get an animal yet?” She asked.

Jacob shook his head. “Nah, dad hates pets.” He said disappointingly.

His mother laughed. “Of course he does.” 

Jacob put the cat down onto the kitchen counter and scratched it’s back. He looked up at his mom who handed him a glass of water. There was an awkward silence between the two of them. Jacob noticed a picture taped to the refrigerator door. It was of a very handsome man. 

“You dating someone?” Jacob asked his mother. She smiled and looked back at the refrigerator.

“Didn’t I tell you last time I saw you?” She asked. Jacob shook his head. “His name is Tom. He’s such a sweetheart. He raves about your art all of the time.”

“Really?” Jacob asked. 

“Oh yeah, he says that you have an incredible gift. Of course I always knew that.” She smiled.

“What does he do?” Jacob asked. He noticed how warm the man’s smile was in the picture. He felt good about the fact that his mother was dating someone. 

“He runs a gallery. Oh and he also is a researcher for outsider art.” She beamed.

Jacob laughed. “Of course he is.” He said. His mother giggled. Jacob noticed how happy she looked. There was a lightness in her voice when she spoke about her boyfriend. He looked down at his feet and ran a nervous hand through his hair.

“What about you?” She asked. “Anyone special?” 

Jacob looked up. His stomach dropped. This was the reason he had come to see her but he felt as if gravity was now pushing down on him.

“Yeah…she’s nice. Her name is Erin.” He mumbled.

Jacob’s mother smiled. She poured herself another glass of water and pressed on. “Erin huh? What’s she like?” 

Jacob glanced at his mother. He saw the curiosity in her eyes and felt a burning rising up in his throat. “Actually. I can’t stand her.” He laughed. “She’s a total idiot and a complete bitch.” He said. It felt good to say it.

His mother looked slightly disappointed. “Oh…” She said. “Jacob, you shouldn’t be leading her on if you don’t like her.” She sighed. 

“I know mom.” Jacob smiled. There was a confidence rising within him. “But, It’s really complicated.” He leaned forward deciding to ride on his flow of words while he still had them.“I’m in love.”

“With her? But you said…” His mother started. Jacob interrupted her.

“No…with someone else.” He said lightly.

“Oh?” His mother asked. She realized that Jacob was about to tell her something difficult.

“Yeah…” Jacob said. His words felt heavy again. He swallowed.

“What’s her name?” His mother asked.

Jacob laughed. He couldn’t believe how hard it actually was to come out to his mother. All it took was one word but it was as if his entire body was fighting against him. His mouth opened and the word finally fell out of it.“Will.” He said. He looked away from his mom. He gripped his glass of water and sighed. It was out. He had said it. There was a pause for a moment and then his mother giggled slightly.

“I’m guessing that doesn’t stand for Wilhelmina?” She asked simply. Jacob shook his head.

His mother put down her glass of water and walked over to him. He couldn’t look at her. Her was too afraid. “Oh my god, you poor thing.” She said, grabbing hold of him. She took her son into his arms. Jacob felt a rush of relief and sadness as his mother gripped him. He began to cry in his mother’s arms. He hadn’t felt so much comfort in years. His mother pulled back and lifted her son’s chin. “Does Will know?” She asked.

“Yeah mom…He’s amazing.” Jacob said as his eyes filled up. “I didn’t know where to go mom.” He cried. “It’s been so hard.”

“Your father?” His mother asked seriously. “What has he done?”

Jacob shook his head. “He caught us together one day. He told me never to see Will again. I’ve been going behind his back. I don’t know what to do.” Jacob sobbed. He gripped tightly onto his mother’s wrists. He wished she could have been there for him more often when he was growing up.

Jacob’s mom gave him another firm hug and pulled back. “Why didn’t you come to me sooner?” She asked. “You knew I would understand.” 

“I don’t know mom. I didn’t want to betray dad like that. He tries.” Will said. His mother shook her head. “He really does mom.” 

“I know he does, Jacob. That, however, does not exuse his general lack of understanding.” She steemed. “God. At an age when you’re just trying to figure things out too!”

“What hurts so much is that I have figured things out.” Jacob interrupted. “I know it sounds crazy mom…but I’ve really fallen for this guy.” He paused. “Oh my god I can’t believe I’m saying this out loud to you.” 

Will’s mother smiled. “Does it feel good?” She asked. Jacob nodded, wiping his eyes. 

“His parents are so nice. They know about us and don’t even care. He’s so kind to me mom. The comfort he’s shown me is amazing.” Jacob sighed. “I feel normal around him.”

Jacob’s mother smiled broadly and took in a deep breath. “Oh Jacob.” She sighed. She kissed her son on the top of his head and gently brushed his hair to the side. “You must be dying for that same kind of support that he has.” She put her hand to her chest. “I promise, you can come to me with whenever you need to.”

Jacob continued to cry. He couldn’t grasp how someone so close to him could be so understanding of what he was going through. “Why mom? I don’t get it.”

“Because…you’re my son.” She said simply. “I don’t care who you love…” She pulled her son close to her. “The fact that you love at all is what makes me happy.”

“And dad?” Jacob asked holding tightly onto his mother. The large muscular boy hunched over to hold her. 

“Eventually, Jacob…you will need to stand up for yourself.” Jacob’s mother told him.