Kieran & Drew Read Online Free PDF

just….” Kieran lifted one shoulder in a shrug and gave a sad, lopsided smile. “I just feel so dumb.”
    “You don’t have to feel that way,” Drew said, his tone more serious. “I don’t….” He hesitated, unsure of how to word what he wanted to say without hurting Kieran’s feelings. “I don’t think like the others. I don’t think you’re weird.”
    Kieran swallowed, hating that Drew was shining a light on his obvious lack of friends, even if he was trying to be nice. “Thanks,” he said stiffly, folding his arms across his chest and hunching his shoulders as if he was cold.
“I don’t ,” Drew reiterated, at a loss as to how he was making things worse.
     
“I get it. Thank you.” Don’t feel sorry for me, don’t feel sorry for me.
    Drew sighed, feeling like he’d somehow made things worse, and dug his hands back deep into his pockets. “Okay. So, um… how long do you have to do this?”
“Until it’s clear. May take a while, as you can see.”
     
“Looks like.” Drew rocked back and forth on his heels. “Well, anyway, I have to get going. I’m meeting Matt, so….”
     
“Okay, see you around, then.”
     
“Yeah. Yeah, see you around.” Drew turned and left the storage room, closing the door behind him.
    Kieran groaned, feeling like an even bigger asshole and not even understanding why or what just happened. He suddenly couldn’t deal with this shit. If Mr. Trinder came by and found the storage room empty, fuck it, he could call Kieran’s dad or something, not that his dad would be home to pick up. He waited ten more minutes, figuring most people would have vacated the school grounds by then and he wouldn’t have to run into anyone else, and then headed home.
    Fucking come on, college. He couldn’t wait to go. With no clear idea of what he wanted to do for a career, he figured a major in American Literature would suit him perfectly. He’d always liked English and reading; perhaps if he could learn to conform to “proper” punctuation he’d become a teacher, and then he could stand up for all the loner kids who had no one. His only stipulation was that it be a ways away from Florida. He was sure his dad wouldn’t give two shits anyhow. He’d probably just be glad to have him out of the house so he could bring his not-so-secret girlfriend home once in a while.
    The house he’d lived in his entire life came into view, and he was surprised to see his dad’s car sitting out front. After such a horribly humiliating day, it really did make him miss the relationship he used to have with his father. In fact, a hug wouldn’t go amiss right about now, but ever since he’d become old enough to not require supervision or a sitter, his dad was always at the restaurant.
    “Dad?” He called out cautiously. As if he didn’t quite believe he’d caught his elusive father at home. He walked into the living room just as his dad was finishing up a hushed telephone call. Probably with the girlfriend. He rolled his eyes.
“Hey, Kier. You’re home a little late today, aren’t you?” “I was at the library.” He didn’t feel like being honest, and even if he was, it probably wouldn’t matter.
     
“Good to hear. Listen I’m heading off to the restaurant—” “What a shock,” Kieran muttered, surprised when his dad actually stopped and looked at him.
     
“Everything okay?” His dad frowned.
    Kieran swallowed. No dad, it’s not. I’m gay, I have no friends, you don’t hang out with me anymore, and a whole class full of kids laughed at me today and called me a freak. I am not okay. “I’m fine,” he said quietly.
    “You sure? You can come to the restaurant if you like. I have to go over the books in my office but I could ask the chef to whip up something special for you.”
“No thanks.”
     
“You sure?” His father looked uncharacteristically unsure of himself. “The chef’s really settled in; he’s a master in that kitchen.” Kieran bit his lip, then