The Road

HOLA PEEPS!!

If you liked my stories such as, Patches, Love Has No Gender and Where Are You, I think you're gonna like this one too haha.

Y'all stay safe out there xx Love, Ryan

THE ROAD

** TWELVE YEARS AGO **

"Look, Matt, I really don't wanna sound like an ass...but are you really sure he's really happy with all this? I must admit, I can't for the life of me believe that Tanner would be okay with coming out! And before you crucify me...you gotta admit things are looking shady as hell. You always have to meet in secret, you aren't allowed to tell anybody AND have you guys actually ever kissed?"

Matt drank some of his Energade as they were beginning to cool down from the horrendous fitness session that his best friend has just put themselves through.

He loved Lorraine like a blood sister but sometimes...urgh.. It was like she didn't want him to be happy after having three failed relationships herself in a matter of a year. And now she was taking it out on someone who was actually happy.

Now obviously she was gonna think everyone was cheating on everyone!

And that's exactly what this was. She wasn't with Tanner. She didn't see him everyday, talk to him everyday. She didn't understand what the two of them shared. He trusted Tanner and he did, completely at that.

"Girlfriend...let it go. We're getting together tonight at his house because his parents are going out. It will be our first time...you know...that we're gonna be all alone. Who knows what might happen!" Matt said excitedly as they stretched out their limbs after the exhausting session.

Lorraine nodded sadly, and crossed her two fingers...in sheer hope, more than anything.

If Tanner was serious about Matt, why didn't he make it official? Why hide it? This was 2008, not the Middle Ages!

Oh well...all she could do was hope and pray that her best friend didn't get hurt and have his heart broken at the same time.

There was literally nothing more she could do.

Matt was not gonna listen.

**

Matt arrived at Tanner's house later that evening with nothing but hope and love inside his heart.

This was it. Wasn't it? They were really gonna be alone...and he literally couldn't wait.

His cock had been on red alert for hours today already...and for some weird reason, the sixteen year old couldn't stop smiling even if you paid him..

He sneaked in at the back door which Tanner had promised would be open.

Once inside, he saw that there were already two steaming pizza boxes on the kitchen table top, ready to be eaten. A two litre bottle of Coke, complete with two glasses were placed neatly alongside.

"Tanner? You here?" Matt called out in the direction of where he knew Tanner's room was.

"Matt? That you?" came the reply from somewhere within the house.

"Yeah! Everything looks great down here!" Matt replied before placing his hands inside his Jean's pockets.

Catching a glimmer of himself in the mirror inside the living room, he quickly checked and made sure that his hair was styled just right, and that he looked more than just okay, for his boyfriend.

He winked at his reflection just as Tanner made his appearance.

"Can't believe we're actually doing this..." Tanner said, his blue eyes lighting up, his blond hair shining from his recent shower. He had a humongous smile on his dial, almost the same as Matt's .

"You wanna come over here?" Matt asked as his heart fluttered with how good looking his boyfriend really was.

With a slight blush on his cheeks, Tanner obeyed and stood nervously before Matt.

Slowly, their arms reached out to the boy on the opposite side and within seconds they were inside each other's arms.

For Matt, this was his ultimate dream come true.

The popular jock Tanner Watson was not dating the school's sexiest cheerleader...he was dating him!

He still couldn't believe it. He knew that Tanner had a enormous reputation to uphold at the school and in his social life, what with all these new social media apps coming out like Facebook and Twitter, everyone knew everything about the other these days.

He understood that Tanner couldn't be honest and come out as gay, at least, not yet. It would be disastrous. Plus...if he really wanted to make it big as a future NBA star, he couldn't exactly be seen with a boyfriend on his arm, could he?

Matt trusted Tanner. Wholeheartedly. He knew what he had in him. As Tanner held him tightly and he felt his lips touch his shoulder, it was once more reaffirmed. Tanner was his man, as he was Tanner's.

Only thing that stood in their way, was time.

**

"Pineapple should so not belong on a pizza," Tanner said as he wiped his mouth with a serviette."

"Neither should banana but you still eat it anyway," Matt said, taking the last sip from his glass of Coke.

"How long did you say your parents was gonna be at dinner for?" he asked as he placed both his and Tanner's plates inside the basin.

Tanner stood up and hugged Matt from behind. Once more Matt felt Tanner's warm breath against his shoulder and neck, giving him more than just shivers throughout his teenage body.

"They said ten a clock. Relax, baby. We got plenty of time..." he whispered before turning his boyfriend around to face him, and looking at him lovingly in the eye.

"I know we haven't been dating that long...and with all the hiding and pretending we have to do...I promise you, Matt. I am gonna make it big in thr NBA. I just know it. Once I'm in the fame, I'll come out and be with you openly. It's just...it's impossible to do it now."

Matt reached out and placed both his arms around Tanner's neck and locked his fingers around his man. He gently caressed the back of Tanner's neck and hairs with his knuckles.

"I can wait. You're worth waiting for..." he said, enjoying his touch on Tanner's skin.

Tanner's eyes were muddy, bloodshot even, at the words from Matt. He stated to lean forward, both of them never having kissed, it was a cardinal rule from Tanner, not to get that emotional...but in that moment, he couldn't help himself.

As Tanner's lips touched his for the first time, Matt's heart burst with love and pride for his boy.

Tanner tasted fantastic, even though he just had consumed slices and slices of pizza. The two boys got more and more absorbed and into passionate kiss as their feelings were solemnly translated into moans of utter enjoyment.

Matt deepened the kiss, forcing open Tanner's mouth with his own and went searching for Tanner's tongue. The two organs united in more ways than one, as both boys started to shiver, hormones and testosterone flooding their bodies with max rage.

Tanner gripped Matt so tightly he felt like he would pop. Matt reached downwards and playfully grabbed Tanner's sixteen year old steel hard cock in between his fingers...

"Ohhh man...baby...don't stop..." Tanner roared through his horny throat as he once more plunged his mouth onto Matt's.

It was then...that fate decided to intervene...

The front door opened, rapidly and quite unexpectedly.

Tanner, facing the door, saw the movement first, as well as the three people who was suddenly entering the house...not expecting to find him kissing his boyfriend...

Poor Matt was facing away from the door. He didn't realise what was happening. At all.

Not until his boyfriend...the guy he was now determined to have, the boy whom he secretly started to fall in love with head over heels...quite literally... PUSHED him violently away from him.

**

"TANNER! WHAT THE HELL?"

Tanner saw his father standing inside the corridor, alongside his mother and...oh lord...his basketball coach from school.

His NBA career.

His reputation at school.

Being outed as gay and being bullied and tormented for the rest of his two remaining years at school...once that stigma was on you, that shit just didn't go away. Ever.

God...what now... ?

There was only one thing to do...

**

"I SAID NO! I'M NOT INTO THAT! HOW DARE YOU KISS ME? YOU FUCKING HOMO!"

Matt was still on the floor from where Tanner had so violently pushed him...he didn't...his brain heard the words but it was like it didn't register...

"Tanner, what is going on here? Who's this little cunt?" his father demanded as he stomped towards his son and gripped his elbow so hard that Tanner actually saw stars.

He saw his mother in tears, not doing a thing to stop his father's treatment of him, as usual. Behind both of his parents he saw his basketball coach from school, starting at him in somewhat disbelief and utter shock.

His arm was really starting to hurt now...

"Dad! Let me go! He tried to kiss me and I pushed him away! Didn't you guys see that? He's just a guy from school! I don't even know him that well!"

The colour completely disappeared from Matt's cheeks...wait what?

Only Tanner wasn't finished.

"I pushed him off me as soon as I could! I had no idea the faggot was gay! You gotta believe me! Why would I wanna kiss a nerd like that?"

Matt's heart dropped about six feet. Once more, he heard the words. He didn't wanna believe the person's mouth who it had been coming out of. If only it was anyone else...but no...it was Tanner.

He had to speak up, try and solve this.

"Tanner, Mister Watson, please give me a chance to explain..."

"SHUT YOUR HOMO MOUTH!" Tanner's dad spat at Matt, his face red with anger and frustration.

"John, perhaps we should listen to what he has to say?" Helena Stewart, Tanner's mom said quietly but that was quickly forgotten as John Stewart gave his wife one look...

"Go to the kitchen and cook something, will ya? The men are talking. Off you go."

With a nod and a sigh, Helena did as she was told.

Matt was still on the floor, he was shaking his head still, his heart refusing to believe just what Tanner was doing.

How...how could he betray him lile this? He had to try and get a message through to him somehow!

But right now, Tanner didn't even look at him. His whole entire gaze was at his father and his coach...like they were the only people that actually mattered right then...

**

"Tanner, if you lie to me...if you are a fudge packing son of a bitch homo, then you tell me right now! And pack your bags in the same breath, because there is not a chance in hell that my son will be a faggot and still live under my roof!"

John Watson was looking more and mote like a cross between the Grinch and Shrek.

His forehead was buzzing with sweat, and was his finger pointed straight at his son.

Matt swallowed, hard.

Come on, Tanner. Tell the truth! We'll be okay, just you and me! My family will take you in! We can finally be together...you don't need these bigoted people in your life! Come on, Tanner! I love you, my guy...just be honest!

Tanner stood up to his father. His chest was pumped. His glaze was fierce. He reached up with his arm and pointed it directly at Matt.

"He...attacked me. He kissed me. I pushed him off me, when you guys came in. Believe me, don't believe me. It's the TRUTH."

A lonely tear dripped down Matt's left eye and splashed all over his cheek.

**

He felt a rough, callused hand on the back of his neck. Roughly, and threateningly.

"If you ever, ever just LOOK at my son ever again I'll damn well kill ya! You fucking homo's need to know your place! This is our country! Not yours! GET THE FUCK OUT!"

Matt could even feel John Watson's saliva splattering on his face, the man was so angry.

He was pushed towards the door, where he caught the eye of the basketball coach...not the first time that Coach Anderson had seen him and Tanner together...he might not have known about their relationship, but he certainly knew they weren't strangers to each other like Tanner had told and lied.

The coach didn't even as much as look at him.

As a dejected Matt reached the front door, all of Tanner's promises came forth into his tired mind...how he was gonna tell everyone about them when he made NBA pro...just wait, he said...Just give it time...

Matt turned around and looked his boyfriend straight in the eye.

"Really, Tanner? You're really not gonna say anything?" he whispered, so softly that only Tanner could actually hear.

Tanner, for the first time since his parents and his coach entered the house, his eyes flickered over to Matt's.

"You heard my dad. Get out."

Matt nodded, his eyes full of unshed years.

He opened the door of the Watson's house, leaving his dreams...his soul...and most importantly...his heart behind.

So that's how it felt.

That's...what heart break was like.

**

Still continuing to hear the fall out from the inside of the house, Matt got into his car, that he especially had parked in the next street, as to not arouse suspicion that Tanner had visitors.

Lorraine had warned him. He didn't wanna listen.

No, he was too stupid and too much in love and too much into Tanner to believe anyone who told him that this would fucking end in sheer disaster.

Well, what do you know...it all just blew to jack shit and there was nothing more he could do.

Why? Why did he EVER, EVER believe the lies that Tanner had told? You don't pay pro NBA and come out as gay! God!

It was already dark, and after eight at that. His parents knew he was gay and they knew he had someone special in his life but they didn't know who.

They were gonna realise immediately that something went horribly wrong.

No. He couldn't go home. Not yet.

The beach was only ten minutes away according to his GPS.

Perfect.

**

He turned the key into the ignition, just as his tears has started to flow.

I have to get outta here. I can't be around here. Oh God...my throat hurts...my chest is aching! Fuck you, Tanner!

Matt drove even faster.

It was near pitch black as he made a sudden turn to his left. He just wanted to get out of there. Far, far away from anything remotely close to Tanner.

According to his GPS he had to go straight, with no turn for miles.

Perfect. Get rid of some of that anger and frustration.

"I HATE MY LIFE! I FUCKING HATE YOU, TANNER!" he screamed out of the open window as he drove like a mad man, possessed by his hate and sheer unfairness over what had happened.

I thought we had a future together...he thought. I'd have given ANYHTING up for you! I fucking LOVED YOU! And THIS is what you do to me?"

The young kid on his bike, who turned into the street only got inside Matt's view when it was way too late...

**

"Shit! Holy shit!"

Matt brought the car to a sudden stop, so sudden that the car's breaks actually squeaked and it's tyres left two huge black stripes dashed on the road.

He quickly got out of the car and rushed towards where he saw the kid's bike with both it's wheels twirling around in the air.

As for the kid himself...Matt couldn't imagine that he was older than him...his brown gelled spiky hair in an utter mess as it was now mixed with gravel and tar from the road.

His face was mixed with blood and even more gravel, and his arms were shattered from the accident.

His legs were dangled in an sheer unnatural order, he was quite sure at least one was broken.

Matt looked around nervously. There was no one around that he could see. It was pitch dark outside.

He tenderly reached out and tried to feel the boy's pulse...who was still lying deadly still on the road, not moving an inch.

Try as hard as he possibly could...he didn't feel any indication that he was still alive.

Tears and disbelief streamed down Matt's cheeks.

He did this...he killed an innocent young boy...because he was so upset at what Tanner had done...he was driving so recklessly, not giving a second thought to anything else but his own pain...God...and now...this handsome little dude before him was...?

With a desperate, soft cry from inside his throat, he stood up and ran back to the car.

If the boy was dead his life was over.

There was nothing left to live for if they caught him. He would spend the next twenty-five years in jail for murder.

Matt leaned his head on the steering wheel...not a chance.

This was Tanner's fault! If Tanner had not betrayed him in the worst possible way tonight, he wouldn't have been THIS upset and he would never have killed...shit...was he even dead?

Matt wasn't prepared to stick around and find out.

He got out of the car, and with sheer fright or flight momentum, he moved the boys body out of the road and onto the pavement.

That way, at least, there couldn't be more damage done.

Taking one last look at the kid...he couldn't be older than fourteen, fifteen, close to his own sixteen years.

In another life...he would have been attracted to him. He was so handsome. Underneath his bloodied clothes seemed a decent and athletic body.

"I'm...I'm sorry...so sorry..." Matt whispered, angrily wiping his tears from his face, before jogging back towards his car, and without looking back, he sped off back home.

** PRESENT DAY **

"Hello Lorraine."

"Oh thank God, Matt, I really need your help!"

"You always do...what's it this time?"

"I would have picked up Kenny from his soccer practise this afternoon, only now I've got an emergency meeting and Vernon is stuck at the station. Can't you go and fetch Kenny? I'll give you gas money later!"

Matt smiled.

He could hear how desperate Lorraine was and he knew she hated to have to ask him for a favour.

She and Vernon loved their little boy and you knew they were really in a pickle if either of them couldn't go and pick him up.

"Happy to, I'm off this afternoon. Should I take him home with me or drop him off at yours?"

"You know where the spare key is, right?"

"...in the flower pot with the fake tulips, yes. See ya later."

"Love you babe!"

Matt got into his car, before letting his fiance Billy, know that their plans have changed and that he was going be home later as he was picking up Kenny from primary school.

Things these days between himself and Billy was on a sheer knife edge. They fought like all the time. Over the smallest, most unnecessary things imaginable.

Like last week, when it was a sheer hundred degrees outside, Billy had the nerve to yell at him over his `cosy' job in an office, whilst he, as a police officer had to be in the scorching heat all day.

Never mind that Billy knew of all of this when they first had gotten together.

Only last night, Billy was up in his face yet again, because he had forgotten to buy sugar. I mean...?

He went on and on and ON until Matt had no choice but to get inside his car at eleven at night and drop into the local garage café and get some blasted sugar.

Back home, Billy didn't even say thank you. He mumbled something about...if you had a real job, you wouldn't be as forgetful.

Billy was resentful of him. He knew it.

As an admin clark, he earned doubled what Billy did, and without having to work over time. Even with said over time, Billy was struggling to cope financially and took out all his frustrations out on Matt.

He didn't know, really, how long he could still take all of this.

He loved Billy. That made it hard to accept what was probably tight in front of his eyes.

**

Matt got out of his car and locked it, before walking into the school and asking one of the kids passing by where the soccer field was.

Following the directions, he finally saw and heard some movement going on. He glanced over to the bleachers where several parents had come to watch their kids play and quickly notched up little Kenny on the pitch.

The poor guy was trying his best to intercept the ball from the opposing team, his hair mattered to his forehead.

Smiling as he did, God, he loved the kid.

Lorraine was a good mother in every sense of the word. Too bad the jerk who had gotten her pregnant refused to take responsibility for his child and except for transferring some money into her bank account every two months, she never been hearing from him.

Signalling to the young guy selling crisps and cold drinks near the pitch side, Matt bought himself a can of Coke, before sitting down next to a man who happened to be in a wheelchair.

He placed his phone down on his lap, before opening the cold can of metal.

"Careful...those drinks they sell here are usually over their sell by dates," the guy said as he turned towards Matt, with a friendly smile on his face.

Matt turned the can of Coke upside down without letting it spill, and sure as Sam...it was nearly three weeks past it's best.

"Seriously? And they get away with it?" he asked the guy next to him, only now, seeing how attractive the man was.

Brown hair, that he kept spiked, complete with sunglasses which were lodged to the inside of his shirt. All and all not a bad looking dude at all.

"You can't be a regular here, right?" the man said, holding out his hand towards Matt.

"Justin Devlin. My boy is out there, he's the goalkeeper. Haven't seen you here before?"

Matt eagerly shook Justin's hand.

"Matthew Parker. Matt, for short. No, I'm picking up my best friend's kid. He's that tall one who has the ball right now."

"Oh! You're Lorraine's friend? Matt...yeah now I remember! She often talks about you. Nice to put a face to the name!" Justin said, his smile just as attractive as the rest of his face.

**

"Uncle Matt! I scored a goal! Did you see? Did you see?" an excited Kenny shouted for the world to hear as he finally reached me and gave me a hug.

"Sure did, pal! The winning goal that was! Your mom was busy at work, she couldn't be here. But I'm gonna take you home and spend some time with you, that cool? Maybe play a few games on that Switch of yours?"

Kenny was still nodding eagerly when another boy joined us, except he ran straight over to Justin, to be exact.

"Aww, don't be so hard on your self, buddy! You guys won didn't you?" Matt could hear him saying to the boy, his hand on his shoulder.

"But I let them score a stupid goal!" the boy said, close to years.

Matt watched with interest as Justin, even though his son must have been the same age as Kenny, around ten or so, pulled him into his lap, so the boy was sitting on him, facing him.

"Buddy, sometimes people make mistakes. Doesn't mean we meant to do it. It just happened. You'll bounce back, okay? Gimme a hug."

Matt smiled meekly as the boy hugged his dad, clearly adoring Justin. How he wished...sigh...Billy didn't want kids. Not adoption. Not artificial insemination. Not a surrogate.

He simply didn't want kids. At all.

Guess it would never happen for me, he thought, and he suddenly struggled to swallow as he glanced towards Justin and his son one more time.

**

"Guess we'll see you around sometime?" Justin was making conversation as himself and his son, Matt, and Kenny walked back to the parking lot from the soccer pitch.

Boy oh boy..

Matt was certainly up for it...but there was Billy to consider. How would he react when he knew that Matt had, had such a good time with an insanely handsome man without him?

Sigh.

"Dunno. Like I said, if Lorraine wasn't tied up at work, I wouldn't have come. I enjoyed it though. Much more fun than parents usually make out," he smiled, his eyes openly lingering on Justin.

The latter suddenly came to a stop as his son, Calvin, grabbed the keys from his dad's hands and expertly unlocked the car.

"Do you...I mean...you need some help?" Matt asked, careful not to insult or upset Justin who shook his head and pointed towards Calvin.

"Little man knows his stuff! No need. But hey, thanks for asking. Not many people would. They see a dude in a wheelchair and they panic. Dunno what to say. Or do," he said, lovingly ruffling Calvin's hair.

"Sorry, I just.." Matt started to say but again, Justin stopped him with a reassuring glance.

"All cool, my guy! I've had years to get used to this type of life. Good to meet ya anyway. Hope to see ya again?" he said, his eyes shining in the afternoon sun rays.

Matt knew that he had to say no. He couldn't...he wouldn't cheat on Billy.

Never.

Something surrounding this stud though...he seemed to lose all perspective.

"Sure. I guess I could come with Lorraine and Vernon sometime. You too, though, thanks for the chat and the warning about the Coke can," Matt smiled as he reached out his hand towards Justin.

It was solemnly taken and shaken with gusto.

Perhaps...just perhaps...the start of a beautiful friendship.

**

Later that night as Billy was asleep, Matt stood up and slopped over towards the kitchen.

He grabbed some milk from the fridge and proceeded to warm it up inside the microwave. That was the only way he could think of to fall asleep.

His eye fell on the newspaper which he hadn't even had time to open. Billy needed food as soon as he had gotten home.

He worked long hours and his job as a cop brought him so much hardship...making him dinner and making sire he had everything already waiting for him was the least he could do.

Pulling the paper towards him though, Matt's eyes rolled upwards at the headline, before he threw it irritatingly into the bin.

He could still see said headline as he drank his now warm milk.

"TANNER WATSON STRIKES AGAIN!"

Often...at times and nights like these, his mind travelled back in time to that fateful night, in which he was so angry at Tanner betraying him, the same Tanner that was now an international NBA super star, the celeb every girl wanted to sleep with, complete with his perfect family and his two little kids.

Matt had never told a living soul about what happened that night. Not even Lorraine or Billy. That told you something.

He often wondered about that boy. The one he...well, he killed. No reason to cover it up. Murder. That's what it was.

As always, he wondered what had happened to the kid's family...did they ever survive the news of his death...they had no idea to this day that it was him, Matthew Parker, who ran him over.

He'd have to live with himself every day knowing what he did.

A young boy was dead because of him.

THANKS FOR READING!!

Hmm...wonder where Justin fits in here lol.

Lemme know if you want more. I'll gladly write another chapter xx

liciousryan@gmail.com