Page 99 of Hooked On Him
Throwing it open, the shouting gets louder. “You’re nothing but a fucking disappointment! All I fucking wanted was a son, and I got you!” the voice spits.
Moving deeper in the apartment, I step into the living room to find Austin standing there, toe to toe with his father.
He looks pissed, chest heaving, eyes blazing with hatred.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t what you wanted me to be. But just in case you didn’t know, just because you have kids doesn’t mean you can control their whole lives. I’m a person, too. A person with rights just like everyone else. It’s my life and I can pick and choose what to do with it.”
“You have the whole fucking world at your feet and you’re choosing to throw it all away. For what? What do you even haveto show for it? Nothing Austin. You're graduating and you don’t even have a fucking degree in anything.”
“And you know what? That’s my business. It’s my life!” Austin shouts.
“A life you're pissing away!” his father shouts back. “If you worked for me, you would have a set career, you would have money. You would be someone.”
“I am someone!” Austin shouts. “I’m Austin Cade. Me. I'm who I want to be. I love myself and the life I’ve built and everyone in it.”
“I am your father, Austin. I know what's best for you. You will come work for me when you graduate and grow the fuck up. I let you have your fun, but now it’s time to be an adult.”
“No,” Austin says. “I’m not coming to work for you. I’m not marrying your friend's daughter. I’m not living the life you did.”
His father takes a step towards him, and my heart sinks. “If you do not come to work for me, I’m cutting you off. I thought you would have come to your senses by now. There's nothing wrong with marrying a good woman, having a good job, and kids. It’s what I did.”
“What you did?” Austin laughs. “You cheated on mom to the point she was a miserable bitch. Someone who couldn’t have cared less about her kid. I want to get married and I want to have kids, but it won’t be with a woman. And you know why.”
“You are not gay.” His father growls. “It’s just some phase. Have your fun, get it out of your system, but then you need to grow the fuck up.”
“Fuck. You!” Austin seethes. “My sexuality isn’t a phase, for fuck sakes. It’s who I am. I am attracted to men. I’m in love with a man. I want to be with a man. Not a woman. Never a fucking woman. And no matter what you say or do, it won’t change that.”
“If you do this, there won’t be any coming back from it, Austin. If you don’t do what I want you to do, then you're dead to me. No longer my son. Not any family of mine.”
“And how is that any different than the past twenty fucking years of my life?” Austin shakes his head, a sad look in his eyes. “You were never a dad to me. I was just another mouth to feed and a mind to control, and when I started to fight back, you didn’t like it. When you could no longer control me, you dismissed me like I was nothing. How is this any different? I’ve gotten over the fact that my parents want nothing to do with me a long time ago. And you know what, I’m okay with that. You know why? I had two people who cared for me like I was their son. Who took me in when my parents didn’t want me. I was okay then, and I’m okay now.”
“Austin!” His father starts, but I decided he’s done here.
“I think it’s time for you to leave.” I step forward, and two heads turn my way.
“Levi,” Austin whispers, the fear in his eyes of what I’m seeing breaks my heart. He has nothing to be ashamed of. The only person who does is the asshole in front of him.
“Who the fuck are you?”
“I’m your son's boyfriend.” I narrow my eyes at the dick head. “You know. The gay one. And this is our apartment you're in. And I think it’s time you leave.”
Austin’s father’s head snaps over to him. “You're living with a man!?” he roars.
“We’ve already been over this.” I storm over. “Now get the fuck out of here before I call the cops. You’re trespassing.”
“I pay for this place!” He shouts back.
“Thanks for that and all, but your name isn’t on the lease, so get fucked.” I glare up at him.
“Listen here, you little bastard-”
“Enough!” Austin roars, grabbing his father by the shirt and getting in his face. “Say whatever the fuck you want about me, but don’t you fucking dare disrespect Levi. You heard what he said, get the fuck out of our apartment and never come back. I don’t want your fucking money, your job, or anything with your name on it. I’ve been doing fine without it this whole time, I don’t need it now.”
Austin comes over to me and pulls me into his arms. “Hi.”
I smile up at him, heart pounding, but so proud of my man. “Hi.”
“You two are fucking abominations.” Austin’s father seethes.
