Andy Squared

by Jennifer Lavoie

  Andrew mumbled his agreement and picked at his food. They had the table to themselves, and while it would have been fine before, now it felt uncomfortable.

  Students still filed into the lunchroom. Most of them were stragglers who had been talking to teachers after class, or who met with their boyfriends and girlfriends in the hallways. Two in particular caught Andrew’s attention and made him look up.

  Nathaniel and Charlie strode into the cafeteria together, side by side. It took them only a second to spot Andrew and Ryder and Nathaniel’s face lit up.

  “Oh shit,” Andrew groaned and Ryder spun to see what he was looking at.

  “Great. Charlie.”

  “And Nathaniel. I had problems with him earlier, before English class.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Ryder demanded, looking back at him, concerned. Andrew didn’t have time to answer.

  Near silence fell on the cafeteria as Charlie and Nathaniel stood in front of their table. Andrew glanced over at Andrea’s table and caught her eye briefly, but she turned away from him.

  “How’s it going, boys?” Charlie asked, his face twisted in a sneer. Andrew never thought his friend was the best-looking guy, but his anger had turned him ugly.

  “What do you want, Charlie?” Ryder asked, getting straight to the point.

  “Just checking in on my two favorite people. I hear you had a great vacation together. Isn’t that right, Nate? Got a little cozy at Ryder’s place, didn’t you, Andrew?” Nathaniel took a seat next to Ryder and Charlie sauntered around the table until he was next to Andrew. He sat casually in the open seat next to him.

  Andrew stared at his former friend. “You used to spend the night at my place, Charlie.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m not a faggot, am I? And that was before I knew you were one. I’d never do that now. Wouldn’t want the two of you turning me gay.” Nathaniel snickered at his comment and Charlie grinned at him.

  “What’s going on?”

  Andrew turned and saw Karina striding across the cafeteria. For a moment, all eyes were on her and he breathed a sigh of relief. She joined Ryder and Andrew at the table and rested a hand on Andrew’s shoulder.

  “Sorry I didn’t make it to first period,” she said softly.

  “No big deal,” Andrew replied, trying to ignore Charlie leaning closer to him.

  “It’s too late to hide what you are, Andy. Everyone knows,” Charlie said with a smug look on his face, ignoring Karina. “And I knew you were a queer, Ryder. I knew it when I saw you talking to Josh.”

  “Just because I talked to him didn’t mean anything, Charlie.”

  “Whatever. Like I said, Andy. Everyone knows you’re a fag.”

  “Back off, Charlie,” Ryder warned. “This is none of your business. It wasn’t to begin with, but you had to get involved.”

  All eyes were on them as Charlie stood and leaned over the table, invading Ryder’s personal space. Andrew found himself standing and moving quickly to Ryder’s side. Nathaniel stood as well.

  “I wasn’t talking to you, Coltrane. I was talking to your little boyfriend.”

  Everything moved so quickly. Charlie came around the table just as Ryder’s fingers curled into a fist. Charlie mirrored his pose. Andrew stepped between them, shoving Charlie back as he came forward. A fist—Charlie’s—connected awkwardly with his already bruised shoulder and then a shout from the other side of the cafeteria.

  Andrew turned in time to see Andrea running over. She pushed Charlie and Nathaniel out of the way and stood between them and Andrew.

  “What the hell are you doing, Charlie?” she demanded. “You’ve already done enough.”

  “Done enough? Andrea, I’m just getting started. It’s what you wanted. You wanted me to—”

  “I didn’t want you to do it like this!” Andrea shouted. “This is just wrong!”

  Charlie laughed. “Wrong? You’re the one who wanted to make his life miserable. You’re the one who told us everything. Every little detail.”

  The monitors on duty were headed toward them and Ryder pulled Andrew back, but he shrugged him off.

  “I never said to do it like this. Leave him alone, Charlie.”

  “It’s too late for that, Andrea.” Nathaniel laughed.

  Students started talking now, pointing out the scene and discussing it with their friends. Andrew couldn’t hear what they said, but it didn’t matter anymore.

  In front of him, Nathaniel and Charlie laid into Andrea.

  It didn’t matter anymore that she’d started it. She’d tried to stop it. When he had needed her the most she had come to his defense and told Charlie to back off. Now she needed him.

  “Charlie, get lost,” he finally said, finding his voice. He stood straighter next to his sister, holding his ground.

  Charlie laughed until he saw the look on his face. “What are you going to do, huh? You’re—”

  “Gay. Yes. You’ve made it quite clear. Is that what you want to hear? Fine. I’m gay, Charlie. Get over it. Come on, Andrea.” Andrew grabbed Andrea’s hand and pulled her away from the two of them just as the cafeteria monitors descended on Charlie and Nathaniel. Karina and Ryder were close behind them, and from the corner of Andrew’s eye, he saw Melissa get up as well.

  *

  Andrea disappeared with an excuse right after they left the lunchroom, leaving Andrew completely speechless. Why was she running off ? He needed to talk to her. Find out what had caused her to change her mind and confront Charlie like that.

  The boys met at Andrew’s truck after school. Andrew had waited for his sister at her locker, but she never showed up.

  The drive back to his temporary home was silent. After ten minutes of nothing, Ryder reached over and took his hand. Andrew turned his palm up and they clasped, resting them against the seats.

  “I don’t get Andrea,” Andrew murmured, and Ryder nodded his agreement.

  The conversation, or lack thereof, lapsed again until they made it to the farm. After parking the truck in his designated spot, Andrew and Ryder got their bags and went inside. A fire roared in the living room, heating the house pleasantly. They were in the process of stripping off their jackets and shoes when Mr. and Mrs. Kensington walked into the room.

  “So, how did it go?” Mr. Kensington asked.

  Andrew flopped onto the couch and groaned.

  “That bad?” he asked, and the boys nodded.

  “Lunch was the worst.”

  “Why? What happened?”

  Andrew and Ryder each gave a rundown of the event from his perspective.

  “I have no idea what Andrea was thinking,” Andrew concluded, looking to Mr. Kensington for an answer.

  “Maybe she came to her senses. I can’t really say, but you should talk to her. Given all that happened, though, I’m proud of both of you for sticking out the whole day.”

  After Mr. Kensington excused himself, Andrew curled up on the couch, letting the heat from the fire close by warm him. He listened to Ryder talking to his aunt and uncle in the other room as he stared into the fire. He let his eyes shut for just a minute, and when he opened them again, he had a blanket over him and the glow from the fire had faded.

  Andrew sat up with a start and looked around the room. The sun hung much lower in the sky, throwing shadows across the room. The light had been turned on in the kitchen and he pushed off the blanket to go investigate.

  Ryder and his aunt stood at the counter, cutting vegetables and shoving them in a pot. They spoke in low tones and didn’t notice when Andrew stopped and stood in the doorway.

  “Are you going to tell your parents about this?” Andrew heard her ask, not looking away from the carrots she sliced.

  “I’m going to have to eventually, right? They keep asking me who I’m dating. Mom wants to know if ‘the girl’s from a family she knows.’”

  “Why don’t you tell them? They’re over there. They’ll have plenty of time to think about it before they come back.”

  “
Are you kidding? This is my dad we’re talking about. He’ll flip out.”

  “Yes, maybe. But flip out over there, while you’re here. That might be the best way to do it.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “How do you feel about Andrew, then? His parents know. They seem like they’ve come around to it. Do you think it’s fair that they know about you and your parents don’t know about him?”

  “I like him. I really like him a lot. But I doubt he cares about that. It’s not like he’s going to meet them. At least, not anytime soon. They’re not going to just fly out here and be like, ‘Hi, son! How are you?’ I’m not going to put him through that.”

  Andrew took a step back and the floor creaked. They looked over at him and for the first time in a long time, Andrew thought he saw Ryder blush. He looked back down at the celery he had been cutting.

  “Sleep well?” Mrs. Kensington asked with a pleasant smile.

  “Yeah, uh, thanks. For the blanket, I mean. I didn’t realize I was so tired.”

  “You were talking and then you just went out, like a light,” Ryder teased once he gathered his composure.

  “That’s all right. Could you help us with dinner? I need to go ask Kyle something.”

  “Sure,” he said, and took her place.

  “When you’re finished cutting the carrots, just toss them in the pot. Ryder, add the celery too, and put in some salt and pepper, okay? I’ll be back in ten.”

  The boys agreed and watched her leave.

  “She seems to leave at rather convenient times,” Andrew noted dryly.

  “That’s Aunt Lisa. She has a lot of tact. Especially when it comes to things like this.”

  “Things like what? Like cooking?”

  “No, dork. I mean…when she knows someone wants to tell someone else something important.”

  “Oh.” Andrew grabbed another carrot and cut it up slowly. Beside him, Ryder stood silently.

  “You heard us talking, didn’t you?”

  “Yeah,” he admitted. “Sorry.”

  “It’s all right, I guess. I meant what I said.”

  “Which part? You said a lot,” Andrew tried to tease, but the words fell short.

  “The part where I said I liked you a lot,” Ryder admitted, pausing in cutting the celery. He looked at Andrew, his face completely open, and Andrew could see the honesty there.

  “I know. I really like you, too. A lot.”

  “I know we’ve only been dating for a couple of months, but—”

  “You don’t have to say anything else, Ryder, I get it.”

  The two continued to work in silence, cutting more vegetables and adding them to the pot. Ryder added some water while Andrew put in the salt and pepper. When Andrew put the shakers down, Ryder turned.

  “But I think I love you,” Ryder blurted, face red. He stared at Andrew with wide eyes, as if he couldn’t believe he’d said it, and Andrew stared back, his own cheeks heating.

  After a tense moment of silence, the two started to laugh. Ryder pulled him into his arms and leaned back against the counter. “Wow. That so didn’t come out how I wanted it to, but okay.”

  “A little fierce there,” Andrew teased.

  Ryder looked down at him, head tilted to the side, the question burning in his eyes. Andrew could read it there: Did he love him, too? Andrew didn’t say anything, just pulled Ryder’s face down to his and gave him a small, gentle kiss.

  It was answer enough.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  That night, Andrew’s father called to speak to him. “Andrea told me what happened in school today. Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine,” Andrew replied after taking a moment to process what he said. Andrea told him? Why? “How’s she doing?” Andrew asked.

  His father sighed into the phone. “I don’t know. Since she got home she seems different. Quieter. She doesn’t look as angry as she did before, but aside from telling us what happened during lunch, she won’t talk about it.”

  “Is she there now? Do you think I could talk to her?”

  “She went outside a while ago. Look, son. Your room isn’t quite finished yet, but we put the new flooring in. If I stay home tomorrow I can get your furniture moved back in and you can come back home.”

  As much as Andrew liked staying with the Kensingtons, he did want to go home. He missed seeing his parents and listening to their easy banter. He even missed Andrea.

  “I don’t want you to miss work.”

  “It’s fine,” his father said. “I think it’s time you come home. Your mother misses you. I miss you. I know despite what she says, Andrea does, too.”

  Andrew said good-bye to his father and hung up the phone.

  “How did it go?” Ryder asked.

  Andrew jerked his head up and saw him leaning against the door frame, arms crossed.

  “Room is almost done. Dad said he’ll stay home tomorrow to put everything back in and I can move back tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow? Wow, that’s so soon. I kind of hoped you’d be here longer,” Ryder said softly.

  “Yeah, I know. I don’t know how Andrea’s going to take it. I mean after today, who knows what she’s thinking. Can’t imagine what she’s going to do when I’m back at home.”

  “Well, with you back she’ll have to face her problems head-on and get over it.”

  “Maybe.” Andrew shrugged.

  “It’ll be fine.”

  “But I don’t want to leave. I like it here.”

  “I know, and I like having you here. But hey, we’ll still see each other at school. And you can always sleep over and stuff,” Ryder said, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

  Andrew flushed and waved a hand. “I know, but it’s still not the same, you know?”

  Ryder nodded and sat down next to him. “I know. We’ll figure something out. Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll still be right here.” He leaned forward and gave him a small kiss. When Ryder pulled away, Andrew pulled him back and the two fell onto the bed. Ryder pulled off one of his shoes and aimed it at the partially open door. It hit it squarely with a thunk and the door shut.

  “Nice shot,” Andrew said, impressed.

  “Thanks. Now, where were we?”

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  “If you need to get away, you don’t even have to call. Just come back, okay?” Ryder reassured him after Andrew had packed all his things the next day after school. He pulled him into a tight hug. Andrew relaxed and nodded. School that day had been tough, and Andrew kept thinking about going home that night. He had known throughout the day that he’d made the right decision, but now that it was actually time to leave, his stomach twisted in knots.

  “I’ll call you later and let you know how everything is,” he told Ryder as calmly as he could manage to sound.

  “Okay. I really wish you would let me go with you.”

  “I know. But I need to do this myself.”

  Ryder sighed. “I still wish I could go.”

  Andrew stretched up and gave him a kiss. “I’ll be fine. Andrea and I need to work this out. And we’re going to, today, whether she likes it or not.”

  She didn’t show up at school today. I wonder what happened.

  Ryder playfully ruffled his hair. “Just don’t hurt her too much,” he teased.

  “I promise I won’t,” Andrew replied, then hesitated. Three little words had been gaining ground in his mind since he had been spending more time with Ryder, and they threatened to spill out now. The same words Ryder had said earlier. “Ryder, I—” he started, but Ryder cut him off.

  “I know, Andrew.” He grinned and gave him another kiss. “Get going, or I’ll convince you to let me come along.”

  *

  His father met him outside when he parked the truck and walked in with him. The house hadn’t changed except for the holiday decorations being packed away. He felt bad for not having been there to help with it, but shrugged the feeling off.

  “Everything
is all set. We moved all your things in there, but if you want, we can rearrange them to however you want.”

  “I’m sure it’s fine, Dad. Let’s just go up.”

  The two of them went up the narrow stairs with Andrew following his father. Down the hall from his parents’ room his door stood open. The hardwood floor looked fantastic. In the center of the room was a dark blue rug to keep him from freezing his feet in the morning if the room was too cold. The walls were the same light blue shade they had been before, but they had been washed. Without any scuffs or marks, the room seemed larger.

  His bed stood in the corner where it used to be, the nightstand right next to it below the window. His mother had changed the curtains and put up dark blue ones; they were open onto the frozen driveway below. His low dresser stood next to the door with his television mounted on the wall and DVD player sitting off to the side. Against the other wall stood his desk, with a small desk light and his laptop sitting there, waiting to be turned on. His swivel chair had been tucked in under the desk. Next to that sat a small three-shelf bookcase.

  “It’s almost too clean in here,” Andrew said, wrinkling his nose. “I mean, there’s nothing on my desk or dresser.”

  “Well, you’ll have to fix that, won’t you? Sorry we didn’t get to change the paint, but we can always do that later.”

  Andrew nodded. “It’s okay. And everything’s fine the way it is. I don’t need to move anything,” he said, and tossed his bag on his bed. His father nodded and set the other bag down. “Where’s Andrea?”

  “She’s been hiding out in her room ever since she helped me move everything back in.”

  Surprised, Andrew looked up his father. “She helped?”

  His father nodded with a small smile. “Yes, she did. I didn’t ask her, either. She offered. And I think when you talk to her you’ll find she’s a little more…reasonable.”

  Andrew looked up in surprise again. “Did you talk to her?”

  “Your mother and I did, yes. We sat down with her and we all talked about you coming home. I think it did a bit of good for her. She’s behaving a little more like herself than she has been the last few weeks.”