Devil's Catacombs by Will Overby

Author:Will Overby [Overby, Will]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Black Cat Books
Published: 2016-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

23 – Brandon

Moving through the passageway was easier without the added weight of the backpack, but it was still tough going. Brandon followed Kyle along the highway of spray-painted arrows, feeling the sweat already trickling along his scalp.

Kyle looked back over his shoulder. “You okay back there, hoss?”

“Yep.”

“Let me know if I’m going too fast for you.”

Brandon watched Kyle move deftly between the rock walls and wished he could say something to take away what Luke had said. Brandon had seen something in Kyle’s eyes – disappointment, betrayal. It was hard to say. But he knew things were never going to be the same between them again.

Hell, things were never going to be the same between him and any of the others, now that they knew. Except Chloe. She had always been the only one who seemed to understand him. It was a shame he wasn’t straight; they would have made a good couple.

“Hey, man,” Kyle said, still plodding forward. “About all that shit Luke said. . . ”

Oh, hell, here it comes. “Yeah,” Brandon said. “Sorry about that.”

“No need for you to apologize,” Kyle said. “Luke’s an asshole. I just hated it for you, man.” He stopped and turned around. “But just so you know, I’m not gay.”

Brandon couldn’t meet Kyle’s eyes. “I know. I don’t want you to think. . . ”

Kyle put a hand on Brandon’s shoulder. “It’s all right, dude. It doesn’t matter to me. I don’t think it matters to any of those people back there. Even Luke.”

Brandon could feel his face growing hot. His ears were burning up. “I just didn’t want it come out like that. And I was afraid you’d get the wrong idea.”

Kyle shook his head. “Like I said, doesn’t matter to me. I can still be your friend. But I can’t be your boyfriend.”

“I understand.”

“I don’t swing that way.”

“I got it.” Honestly, his ears felt like they would burst into flames. Why wouldn’t Kyle just shut up?

Kyle smiled. “You know the funny thing? I was thinking about introducing you to my sister.”

Brandon laughed. He finally looked at Kyle, into those eyes he’d thought about so many nights. “Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

Kyle gave him one last pat on the shoulder. “It’s all right, hoss. We’re good.” He turned and headed into the darkness ahead.

Brandon followed. He wasn’t sure how to feel about all this. He was disappointed. Ashamed. Angry. Crushed. He had known all along he couldn’t have that kind of relationship with Kyle. But keeping it to himself had meant he wouldn’t get hurt by reality, that he could enjoy being with Kyle and satisfy himself vicariously through fantasy. Now the fantasy was dead, along with the imagined hope it brought with it.

In a way it was liberating. The whole thing was liberating. He no longer had to pretend around any of them. He was free to pursue a real relationship. With a real guy, not a far-flung daydream.

Now all he had to do was tell his parents. And the thought of that made his blood turn to ice.

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