Page 95 of This is Me

“Cool… I think I’m going to go unpack and sleep. It’s been a long day.”

“Do what you need to, honey. Take all the time you need,” Mum said, and I heard her move behind me, wrapping her arms around me one more time. “I love you, Peter. I always have and always will. No matter what.”

“Thanks, mum,” I whispered as she let me go. “But we don’t need to make a big deal out of this. I’m me. Nothing’s changed. I don’t need a parade.”

I chuckled at my own words but stopped as I saw Mum and Dad exchange a look, and I started to dread what it meant.

“I guess we’ll see you in the morning then,” Dad said quickly, and I nodded uncertainly.

“Uh, yeah. Goodnight,” I said awkwardly and moved past my parents, walking down the hall toward the stairs.

“Welcome home, shit brains,” Brad greeted me as I reached the bottom of the staircase, and I looked up to see him standing halfway up them.

“Thanks, dick stain,” I replied with a smile, and he returned it, before turning around and walking up the stairs. I followed.

As I reached the top of the stairs and entered the second-floor hallway, I saw Brad standing outside my room, leaning up against the wall.

“Is this the moment you punch me?” I asked, walking over to him and standing in front of my bedroom door.

“I mean, no. But I will now,” he replied, giving me a quick jab in the shoulder.

“Ow, you fuck.” The thought to punch him back ran through my mind, but I knew it would only end badly for me, so I rolled my eyes at him instead.

“I am, but I needed to prepare you,” Brad said, pushing himself off the wall and grabbing the two bags out of my hand.

“Prepare me for what?” I asked, moving to grab the bags back, but he moved them away from me.

“Just open the door, Drama Queen.”

“Ugh,” I mumbled, opening my bedroom door and walking inside. “What the fuck?”

He really should have prepared me a little more.

What once was my dull, bland room, was now filled with a lot more colour. The general layout was the same, but the walls were no longer blank. Above my desk and computer was a, quite large, rainbow flag. Posters with ‘PRIDE’ plaster on them were stuck above my bed, along with inspirational quotes from gay celebrities.

“Mum and Dad started this on Saturday almost as soon as I told them you wanted space,” Brad explained, following me into the room and placing my bag on the floor.

“Well, now I know what that look was about,” I muttered, walking over to the rainbow flag hanging on the wall and running my hand down it. “Not a parade, but a little over the top.”

Who the fuck was I kidding? I loved every second of this.

“I also got you something, but I thought I would wait until you came back to give it to you. Just so you could put it where you want it.”

“You didn’t have to get me anything, Brad. Though, less physical violence would be appreciated,” I suggested, but Brad shook his head.

“Oh, no. Trust me, I’m still going to constantly hit you,” Brad admitted, walking over to my closet, and I groaned.

“Fantastic.”

“Here,” Bradly muttered after opening my closet and pulling out a rolled-up poster, slipping the rubber band off it.

“Bradly…” I trailed off, having an idea of what he was about to show me.

“Sexy firemen!” Brad exclaimed as the poster unrolled and I was greeted with three shirtless firemen, all looking as though they could punch through several brick walls.

“Oh, my God,” I murmured, feeling my face heat up and many other things happening.

“The guy behind the counter hit on me when I bought this.” Brad laughed, moving over to me and shoving the poster into my hands.