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I stand with my back to the sea. The wind whipping my short hair into my face and my luggage weighing down my arms. Keeping me in place. I stand waiting for him to arrive.
~
Four Years Earlier
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~
Ari Callen, the embodiment of his parents' dreams, walks into their kitchen preparing to tell his parents the biggest secret of his life.
“Mom, Dad I need to speak with you.”
Ari’s mother, a pretty woman, rushes over to fret over her baby boy. “Oh Ari! Are you hurt? Sick? Or-”
Just then Ari’s father, a larger man with a face hardened by war silences his wife with a flick of his finger. “Just tell us son”
As the youngest and last hope of his three siblings Ari was the one who was chosen to live up to his parents expectations. And where they lived, a homosexual relationship was not the way to live up to those expectations.
~
Luke Mell’s parents had never been accepting, he knew that and yet when he came out a year ago he hoped for the best. Only to be met with the promise of him moving out at 18. After all, he was only a few weeks away at the time. Now 19 all he wants is for his boyfriend to not have to bear the same treatment.
~
It hadn't always been like this for Ari- originally the pressure would have been on their eldest, Rose. But when Rose followed her passion, art she was discarded. Of course then their parent’s focus shifted to their second child, Dylan. But Dylan couldn’t handle it and died by overdose only one year earlier. With no contact with their first born and no heartbeat from their second they turned their attention to their third, Ari. He was their perfect son, 19 with brown hair and eyes he was just… normal. Their perfect son.
Their perfect son who loves boys Ari thought bitterly.
When Ari stayed silent his parents sat down, their full attention on their ‘only’ son.
“Ari, Honey, you can tell us anything, we won't judge you” his mother reassures.
Ari hesitates before saying “What if I like boys”
~
With no word from Ari, Luke worries. Did his family not accept him? Is he currently beaten by his father?
~
Ari’s mothers face goes stricken and she gasps. Ari looks away, slightly ashamed and unable to see his parent’s disappointed faces.
When his father stands up Ari looks back to see his father glare before spitting out “My son will not be a ***”
Ari trembles under his fathers gaze before steeling himself and glaring definitely at his father.
“Go to your room.” his father orders leaving Ari and his mother alone.
His mother looked him up and down worriedly “You were perfect, where did we go wrong?” She leaves tears streaming down her face.
Upstairs Ari collapses on his bed wondering if he would be sent to a camp. The camps he shudders. The horrible things that would happen to queer people in conversion camps. They say the people that survive are never the same. The camps saw queer people as less than human and they would try to ‘remove’ the gay in any way necessary. Ari knows he could never survive there.
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Later that night Ari sneaks downstairs to talk to his parents, maybe make peace. When he hears their voices-
“What do we do Gary?”
“It's an obvious answer Helen. Ari is homosexual,” his dad spits as if the word leaves a bad taste in his mouth. “He must leave for camp immediately. Ari gasps, darting back to his room, his goal forgotten. Ari sits down making his decision.
~
Still no word from Ari. Should I text him?
~
Once his parents are asleep Ari stuffs clothing, money and his favorite book into a small suitcase and sneaks out his door, leaving his life behind. He had texted his best friend, Penny and boyfriend, Luke to meet him at Penny’s house. After he arrives Penny and Ari wait for Luke before discussing their next step.
Penny, Luke and Ari had devised a plan for the worse case scenario. If (When) Ari ran away his parents would look for him. So he would have to run far. They got in touch with Rose and she would help. Hopefully they would have never had to use this plan.
~
Once Luke arrives Ari drifts in and out of the conversation.
“-Leave on the 7 AM boat-”
Not fully processing his surroundings.
“-Trip to Ireland-”
He hears bits and pieces.
“-Rose-”
He wonders if he should be paying attention.
“-a place to stay-”
Luke's hand surrounds Ari, pulling him out of his thoughts. Absentmindedly Ari leans against Luke, grounding himself with the touch.
“You with us?” Luke asks.
“Not at all.” Ari slightly smiles.
Penny sighs, repeating her earlier words. “Ari, you will meet Luke at the dock at 6. You two will board the boat to Ireland and meet your sister there. She agreed to take you in and help you two get on your feet.
~
After receiving the SOS Luke rushes to Penny's. When he gets there Ari seems crushed. Without asking Luke knows the fallout and throws himself into planning.
Ari seems out of it. It must be worse than I thought.” Luke thinks before slipping his hand into Ari’s.
~
Ari slept restlessly and when he woke at 5:30 AM he groaned before dragging himself out of bed and into Penny’s car.
She drives him to the dock.
“Take care of yourself.” She whispers.
He hugs her before she leaves him, back to the sea, wind in his hair and luggage in his hand… waiting for him to arrive.