chapter 6

Dan had really gotten massive leading up to the week before Christmas. All school year he had been stuffing himself in hopes of Sampson breaking up with him.

He went to pick him up from the airport and I was just waiting. His weight really had skyrocketed. I thought his originally large 230 pounds was something, but with him being 262 pounds everyone was finally speaking up about it.

His father had stopped speaking to him. It was all because he thought that if he hadn't quit football his weight would be normal and his mother said something once more about a diet, a stricter one.

The kids at school poked fun at him about it, but not too much because with every pound he gained he just looked stronger and larger. Oh well, things couldn't get worse.

My cell phone started to ring. "Hello?" I answered in record speed.

"Can you meet me?" Dan asked. "In the park, the one down the street from your house, by the slide..."

"Okay, I will be there in ten." I hung up my phone and put on a pair of shorts and my running shoes. It was eleven thirty so I was sneaking out. I walked down the stairs stealthily and out the front door before I started jogging.

I got to the park in seven minutes. I found the slide but I couldn't see Danny, and as of late, that was a pretty easy thing to do. "Dan...," I called. I was positive this was where he told me to meet him.

Someone grabbed me from behind and put their hand around my mouth so I couldn't scream. I could feel a soft middle pressing against my back, and to say I didn't think it was Dan would be a lie, a person just should never assume something like that in a situation like this one. He let go. "Wow, you were really freaking out..."

"Of course I was!"

"It was just me, couldn't you tell?"

"Yes!" I replied, still a bit frightened.

"Then what's wrong?"

"What if it wasn't you?"

"Well..."

" ;Exactly!" I exclaimed as I began to calm down. "What did you want to talk about?" I had been panting.

"Let's sit down." I took a seat on the swings and Danny tried to as well, but it just didn't work, so he sat on the end of the slide, which was also a tight fit.

"He broke up with me." I hadn't taken into account it was winter and I began to shiver, the heat from my run over had worn off.

"That's what we wanted," I said, half-smiling.

"It is, but now I want something from you." I nodded. "I want you to come out with me."

"Where?" I asked.

"I mean tell our parents and everyone else that we're gay, and a couple." I felt that he could sense my apprehension. "Please." I wanted to, but I was so scared. I didn't know if it was the thought of coming out or the dropping temperature, but I was shivering like crazy.

"I'm cold," I said softly. "Can you take me home?" I stood up.

"Please Scott. I want to just be out there, able to hold your hand...to kiss you in public." I couldn't, not yet. "Please."

"I...okay." But I could do it if Danny was with me. Danny made me feel so safe and comfortable. I'd be able to do it if I knew he'd be there with me. I felt so selfish. I took him away from Sampson and then I could only come out knowing he would be there for me? I felt low.

"Thank you." He came over to me and he was radiating warmth as he hugged me, he was like a bear or some other hibernating animal. Our lips met as it began to snow.

"Okay," I said as our lips broke apart. "It is like, really cold. Let's go." He laughed all the way to his truck.