You Taught Me to Fly
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T. E. Dowling
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284K
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Lucas Sullivan has a massive crush on one of the schoolโs most popular guys: Elijah Rhodes. Trouble is, the only person heโs come out to so far is his sister. And what are the chances Elijah could return his feelings? He barely even knows Lucas exists! But when fate throws the two seniors together, they discover theyโve been harboring mutual feelings for each other for a while. This is just the start of their love story!
Gawking at Elijah
โYouโre gawking again,โ my sister, Autumn, pointed out.
She was adopted into our family about four years after my twin brother, Dave, and I were born. She was only a year younger than us.
She was as much my sister as Dave was my brother, because family isn't always about blood.
Anyway, the most sought-after guy in school had just walked into the cafeteria from lunch.
He was a senior in high school, just like me. We were both nineteen due to our late birthdays which had us starting school a year later than most.
Being a senior meant he could leave campus for lunch, as long as he was back before the bell rang. I had the same privilege, I just chose not to use it.
Elijah Rhodes, my crush, was back twenty minutes early, which wasโฆodd. He usually didnโt return until five minutes before the bell.
Soโฆyes, I was gawking. No, I didnโt want to admit it. Nobody knew I was gay, except my sister.
Oh, Iโm Lucas; Lucas Sullivan.
I watched, captivated, as Elijah walked confidently in his faded skinny jeans, converse sneakers, and tight white tee-shirt under an open plaid button-up shirt.
His hair was dark and messy, always looking like he had just had wild sex. He wasnโt muscular, but I loved that.
Everyone in school knew he was gay. Thatโs why I was so smitten with him.
That and, whenever he smiled, which was often, his baby blue eyes would light up, among other reasons.
Autumn nudged my shin with her foot (we sat on opposite sides of the booth) after a few minutes of me watching Elijah.
Her nudge did two things: snapped me out of my daydreaming, and made me notice his friends, a couple of them, starting to notice my stare.
I looked away, down at the untouched meatloaf on my tray, sitting in embarrassed silence.
โYou really should eat,โ my sister suggested softly. โGym is next and you know how tough your coach is.โ
I grimaced at the meatloaf, my stomach turning at the thought of eating it. โIf I eat it, Iโll definitely throw up next period.โ
โAnd if you donโt, you might faint.โ
โIโd rather faint than throw up, thanks.โ
She sighed heavily. โDid you bring any allowance money with you?โ
I looked up into her eyes to give her a do you not know me look. Of course I hadnโt brought my allowance money.
That was stashed inโฆa safe placeโฆfor emergencies only. This was hardly an emergency. Iโd had a big breakfast! I was fine!
My stomach growled.
Okay, maybe I wasnโt so fine.
Autumn gave me a look of I told you so.
What was I to do? I certainly wasnโt going toโ
โHere, you stubborn fool,โ Dave said, tossing a bag of my favorite brand of nacho chips into my lap as he slid into the booth beside our sister.
Grateful for the chips, I looked at him, smiled, and said: โThanks, jerk.โ
Dave and I often called each other these names. It was our thing. No, I have no idea why.
He grinned in response, and then asked how our days had gone so far. After we replied, he filled us in on his eventful morning.
โLeilani asked me out after third.โ
Autumn and I gasped aloud at the same time. That was as far as our identical outburst went, however.
While she said: โOh my god, thatโs great!โ
I said: โShit, no way!โ
Whichโฆapparentlyโฆwas the wrong thing to say.
While Dave had dismissed it, my sister gave me a dark look.
โโShit, no wayโ?โ She repeated, incredulous. โReally, Luke?โ
My brain stalled, shocked by the venom in her gaze. She continued without a response from me.
โDo you mean to say that Dave is incapable of getting a date?โ
โNo!โ I exclaimed. If anything, he was the most capable of the whole school.
โOh! So, then you think women canโt ask men out, is that it?!โ
Dave and I both stared at her as if she had three heads. Both of us exclaimed:
โOf course not!โ
I added on: โSis, whatโs going on? Why are you attacking like this?โ
She didnโt reply, only staring down at her tray. Dave and I exchanged a silent glance, and decided to let it go. Sheโd talk to us when she wanted to, or she wouldnโt. That was that.
I looked at my brother again and said quietly:
โI really think thatโs great, bro.โ
โThanks,โ he replied. We cast one final uneasy glance our sisterโs way and then let the silence settle around us.
Later on, after school, just as I was about to exit the building and head towards my car, she approached me.
โHey, Autumn,โ I greeted her.
She looked surprised. โYou donโt seem mad.โ
Now I was surprised. Well, actually more confused than anything else.
โWhy would I be mad?โ
โThe attack at lunch.โ
Oh, yeah, that.
I shrugged. โItโs okay, just a misunderstanding.โ I started on my way once more towards the exit.
She placed a hand on my arm, stopping me just before I made it. My mind rebelled just a little bit at being stopped so close to freedom.
โLuke, itโs not okay. You didnโt deserve that. I shouldโve known better. At the very least, I should've acted better.โ
I looked at the ginger-haired girl standing beside me looking so sad and went to hug her.
โSis, I love to death how you jump to Daveโs defense the way that you do. Itโs comforting to know he will always have at least one ally to defend him at all times no matter where heโs at.
โAnd by that I mean if heโs out with you heโll have you, and if heโs out with me, heโll have me.โ
I wasnโt sure if I was making any sense, but I think she understood. I have a habit of over-explaining things, and Iโm not sure why.
โSo, youโre not mad?โ
I kissed her fiery red hair.
โNot at all, sis. Are you riding home with me?โ
โNo, I have band practice.โ She kissed my cheek, her mood noticeably lifted. โThanks, Luke.โ
I gave her a grin.
โNo problem. Show โem whoโs boss.โ
She smiled and headed off towards the band room, and I finally got my escape from school for the day.
That night, as I was getting ready for bed, Dave walked into my room. Well, our room; we shared it and a bunk bed.
He climbed up to the top bunk where I was sitting, sat beside me, and asked the question Iโd been dreading.
โWho are you taking to the homecoming dance on Friday?โ
My mind instantly went into panic mode. If I said no one, heโd ask why, and Iโd have to lie more.
If I told the truth and said Iโd be working Friday night with Elijah and the rest of the theater crew.
Elijah wasnโt a jock, he was a theater actor, and I worked on the sets. I was worried my brother might start to wonder if I had a thing for the lead actor.
There was no real reason for my mind to jump to that conclusion but...still.
I wasnโt ready for him to find out that I did indeed have a thing for another guy--if he somehow made that leap--especially not the most popular one in our school.
I also worried about being judged for it, fearing that he and anyone else who found out would think I was superficial.
I stressed over this for a while before realizing how ridiculous I was being, letting my anxiety get the best of me.
โI have to work Friday night, on sets, while the cast rehearses.โ
He looked confused, and for a good half a minute, my panic tripled.
I thought that somehow heโd made the impossible connection. In reality, I was just overreactingโฆlike I usually do.
โDonโt they need the stage to rehearse?โ
He had never been in the theater, and probably never would be, even if his life depended on it. It wasnโt that he hated theater or anything.
He just had no interest in it. Science, on the other handโฆ
Iโm getting off track.
โDave, thereโs a whole space behind the curtain at the back of the stage, where I build the sets while the cast rehearses in front.โ
He looked shocked.
โWaitโฆthereโs not a wall right behind that?โ
I laughed, I couldnโt help it. The look on his face quickly stopped my laughter, though. I put an arm around him and gave him a squeeze.
โBro, the theater is a magical place full of many secrets.โ
He groaned, rolled his eyes, and playfully pushed me away.
โOh, get off it.โ He climbed down the ladder to the floor and looked up at me. โWish you were coming to the dance, though.โ
He loved those social events but I hated them.
As for Elijahโฆwell, all I really know is that he takes his art seriously. He probably likes dances? He seemed social enough.
I couldn't say for sure, as I'd never bothered to go to any of these social events.
I forced a smile at my twin, and made a promise I already regretted:
โMaybe Iโll stop by if rehearsals end early.โ
The reason my schedule was so tied into the rehearsals was because I was only allowed to work on the set as long as the cast was rehearsing.
I guess either group wasn't allowed to work on their own without the other? Iโm not sure why the director wanted it that way, butโฆthatโs how itโs always been at this school.
Dave, seeming to accept my promise, gave me a smile and left the room to get ready for bed. I let my mind wander about what tomorrow afternoon would bring.
I was always excited at the thought of Elijah being so close...just on the other side of that curtain. Almost as if I could just reach out and...
I sighed. Friday afternoon couldnโt come soon enough.
