Chapter 22

Holden

       I held off telling my family that Shaw and I got engaged as long as I could. I had a feeling that it wasn't going to be handled well, namely by my parents. There would be no way that they would be okay with it. Dad might, but I didn't have high hopes.

       Mom, on the other hand, I didn't have any hope for at all. She didn't care about how I felt. Shaw made me as happy as I could be, but she didn't care. All that mattered was Shaw's past, even though that was long gone.

       I was at my parents' house, helping them bake cupcakes for a fundraiser at Guinevere's preschool. Both Josh and Cleo were too busy to, so Josh asked Mom and Dad if they could do it. Then Dad asked for my help since it wasn't often Mom and Dad saw me.

       I wonder why.

       Every single time Mom saw me, she would always undermine Shaw no matter how many times I had to tell her that Shaw wasn't going to go back to the ways he was in the past.

       She wouldn't believe me. No surprise there.

       So far, Mom hadn't said a single thing about Shaw while I was helping Mom and Dad make the cupcakes. I hoped to go the whole time without her saying anything about it, but I knew it wasn't going to be long before she did.

       I just had to make sure I wouldn't say anything about Shaw so she wouldn't have an excuse to be on the subject.

       "So how is everything going at school?" Dad asked. "I haven't gotten any calls from the principal or your teachers recently, so I assume you're not close to failing."

       "I'm actually doing pretty well," I said. "Mainly thanks to Jane. She found out a lot of ways that could help me study and remember things, and because of that I haven't even been close to failing tests. I don't get high marks, but at least I don't get anywhere near fifty percent."

       "That's great," Dad said with a smile. "I've always liked that Jane."

       "Yeah, it's a shame you two didn't stay together," Mom said.

       "Really, Mom?" I asked. "I'm gay. Of course we didn't stay together."

       "It's better her than Shaw," Mom said. And there it was. That really didn't take long at all.

       "Yes, it's better to ignore my sexuality just because you don't approve of my fi--boyfriend," I said. "My boyfriend."

       I slipped up and it was clear Mom and Dad noticed it from the way they both stopped what they were doing, and Mom even dropped the icing piper in her hands. 

       "What were you going to say before you said boyfriend?" Mom asked.

       "Nothing," I said. "Why, what did you hear?"

       "Holden, don't play us right now," Mom said. "You were going to say something and you stopped. What were you going to say?"

       "Mom, I have a brain injury," I said. "I mess up words all the time. Don't take it so seriously."

       "I swear, Holden, you better not have been about to say fiance," Mom said. 

       I didn't know how to get out of this. Mom wasn't going to let it go so easily. She wasn't stupid.

       So I didn't say anything.

       And that was enough confirmation.

       "Are you serious?!" Mom asked. "Holden, you're only eighteen! You're still in high school!"

       "Oh, relax, the wedding isn't going to be for a couple months," I said. "It will be in July at the earliest."

       "That doesn't make it any better!" Mom asked. "You are too young to marry someone you've only been dating for a few months."

       "No, I'm not," I said. "There isn't a set timeline people have to be dating to get married. If the time is right, then it's right. Besides, I've known him my whole life so it's not like he's a complete stranger."

       "Exactly," Mom said. "You know what he was like not too long ago. In fact, there are still some things you don't know about him that he did."

       "Tara, don't," Lawrence said.

       I furrowed my eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

       Dad sighed. "There are some things Shaw did that you're not aware of, but you don't have anything to worry about. He's not that person anymore. It's all in the past. Your mother shouldn't have said anything since it's none of our business."

       "Of course it is if Shaw and Holden want to get married," Mom said. "I've said this so many times but nobody is listening. Shaw is only going to hurt Holden in the end. I don't condone this."

       "Mom, come on, I love him and he loves me," I said. "Why can't you just be happy for me?"

       "Because Shaw is going to self-destruct sooner than you think," Mom said. "Sorry, but I don't support this. And considering you want the wedding before you turn nineteen, it's probably not happening anytime soon."

       "What?" I asked.

       "You're eighteen," Mom said. "You need consent from one of your parents and it's not happening."

       "Yes, it is," Dad said. "I'm consenting to it."

       I smiled at Dad. "Really?" 

       "Yeah, really," Dad said. "It's clear that you and Shaw really love each other, so who am I to stand in the way?"

       I couldn't help but give my dad a hug. "Thank you, Dad."

       "You can't be serious, Lawrence," Mom said. 

       "I am," Dad said. "Shaw makes Holden happy, and Shaw has come such a long way from the dark part of his life. I know he'll treat Holden right and if they want to get married, then I'm going to let them. It's only fair."

       Mom huffed. "So I guess I'm the only one with a sensible head here? Who even did the proposing?"

       "Shaw did," I said.

       "He did?" Mom asked. "And he didn't bother talking to me and your dad about it first?"

       "Can you blame him?" I asked. "You would have said no, like you are right now. At least Dad might have said yes if Shaw asked."

       "Shaw did ask me," Dad said. "And I said yes."

       "Wow," Mom said. "And you never told me?"

       "Because I would have gotten this reaction," Dad said. "Shaw is head over heels in love with Holden. We watched him grow up and he has never been at such a strong point in his life and a lot of that has to do with Holden. If anything, not being with Holden will cause him to self-destruct."

       "Well, apparently I have no say in this, so do whatever you want, Holden," Mom said. "Get married next month if you really want to. Just don't come to me when it all ends."

       She walked out of the kitchen and I thought I would be hurt by everything she was saying.

       I wasn't.

       Because I was so used to all the criticism. 

       "She'll come around," Dad said.

       "I doubt it," I said. "It's been months and she still hasn't tried to get used to the idea of me and Shaw being together. She's probably never going to change her mind."

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tara stop being mean to your son smh. i'll adopt him if you can't love him like i will.

why do i act as if i don't write the stories lol???

so wattpad is being glitchy yet again. it's been two and a half hours and the chapter before this hasn't gone through yet so you're probably reading this 24hrs after i posted it.

so to make me feel better, here's a gif of holden looking as annoyed as i feel: