Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2024 20:13:28 -0500 From: James Heady Subject: The Wounds Within My Heart--Book 3--Chapter 20 The Wounds Within My Heart By James Disclaimer This is a story which deals with sexual and romantic situations between teenaged boys. This story will at times deal with situations concerning rape, child abuse, Racism, Ableism, suicide and other dark subject matter. If you're not of the legal age to read such material, or if you're disturbed by this type of story, then please back out now. Also, please remember to donate to Nifty, as it's your donations that keep this and other stories on the site free to the public. Finally, if you like this story and haven't done this already, sneak into my E-mail address jamesheady1985@gmail.com's house while they're at work. Once there, call their cell phone company and sign them up for the most expensive plan they have. Thanks once again to my editor K. who's really helped this story be the best. Your edits really help this story be what it is today. Thank you. The Wounds Within My Heart Chapter 20 Nohea After we finished our lunch, we paid, then left to go back to Pietro's house. We hung out there for a bit just talking, then once the others left, it was just my lover and I once again. I was really glad to have some alone time with him now, and at that point we went to get a shower. It was a quick shower, and we didn't play around like we did a few times before. I was in a cuddling mood, and I was getting the feeling that Pietro was of the same mindset at that moment. Once our shower was finished, we dressed in T-shirts and basketball shorts like usual. Once dressed, I sat on the edge of Pietro's bed while he texted his family. They were out for a bit, and they said they'd be home in a couple of hours. Pietro set his phone down on the desk once he sent the reply back, then he was sitting down beside me. We shared a long hug, and a few gentle kisses. I rested my head on his chest for a moment, then we separated. Pietro typed for a moment, then his device spoke. "You know I'm not the type to push my nose into other peoples' conversations," he said. "However, I noticed you and Alex earlier before we all met up to get food. You guys looked rather serious. Is everything alright?" I told him what Alex told me, but made sure he knew to keep it just between the two of us. He listened, then typed after a moment. "That's really interesting about Alex, and I figured he might be gay," Pietro said. "It was just something about him. He hasn't ever been with a guy before though?" "No," I answered. "He's not ever had a boyfriend. He's also never had a girlfriend, and seems completely uninterested in the idea of dating girls." "And you think his parents really will be supportive of him?" Pietro asked. "I would like to believe that they will," I responded. "I haven't seen anything from them that would suggest that they're anti-LGBT." "I hope you're right," he said. "I met his parents a few times too since Alex and I have known one another, and they do seem like they would accept him." "Yeah, that's a good point," I replied. "Well, we'll both be there for him," he went on. "Absolutely," I said. "You're totally right about that." We talked about other things, and soon Pietro's sister and parents arrived home shortly after that. We visited with them for a while, and eventually had dinner. Dinner that night was subs, and they were really good. Bryan ordered them from a place only a few minutes from the house. It was a really nice time, us all together that evening eating as well as enjoying each other's company. 0000 Alex Guerrero Once back home from my outing with Chelsy, Nohea and Pietro, it took a five minute walk to get to the store my parents ran. It was a small establishment, and my dad found it when we moved into our current house. It was an abandoned building when he saw it. After having a few city officials look at it in-depth, they let him know that it could still be used. In other words, it wasn't infested with bugs or rats, nor did it have any other damage that could cause it to be listed as condemned. Once the city made their pronouncement that it could be used, my dad got to work fixing it up. He got the wiring, flooring and all the other stuff set up, and after several long weeks, the place was fitted with electricity, heating/cooling and everything else that it would need to function as a building and business. My dad had worked in various jobs involving selling to the public. This had been back in our former country before he and mom moved here to America. He wanted to continue to run his own business here in this country as well. My mom wanted to work along-side him, and he was all too happy to grant her wish. They had been working and doing a really good business for several years now. When I turned 12, I would help out in the store. I couldn't get paiddue to labor laws being what they are, but I could still help with making sure various items were in the areas they needed to be. I would also sweep the floors, as well as make lists of items that needed to be restocked. My mom and dad were impressed with how well I was doing. I know that they sometimes hoped that I'd take over the store when I became an adult. I told them that I'd give it some thought. I had done just that. I kept thinking about it, and I decided that working there for a time might help with getting some good work experience. I knew that I didn't want to work there for the rest of my life. I was definitely sure about that. One thing I absolutely wanted to do at some point was counseling. It was something I had gotten interested in not too long ago. I had seen how our guidance counselor performed at school. She was actually good at what she did, and that truly impressed me. The other thing that deepened my interest in the field of counseling was hearing Nohea's story. He had really been put through a lot in his life, and I didn't want to see anyone else go through anything like that. The other thing that more recently strengthened my motivation at working in the counseling field was my own situation. Trying to figure out if I was gay or straight could at times be exhausting. Thinking about that over the last few months got me thinking about other kids. I knew some kids had families in which their parents had made it clear right from the start that they would never accept them as LGBT. I also heard about some kids who either attempted, or unfortunately succeeded, at taking their own lives because of having to live in Anti-LGBT home. Knowing that this was the case for so many kids who were wondering about their sexuality was horrible, and I wanted to do what I could to see that things didn't continue that way going forward. The second thing I thought about doing was something related to music. I really loved music, whether it be listening to it, or playing it. I had been playing drums in the school band for about a year at my other school, and had continued with it where I was now. I also had played around a little with a bass guitar. One of my other friends had shown me how at his house this past Summer. I loved it, and I was looking forward to learning how to get really good at playing one of those! I loved all kinds of music with the exceptions of Rap, Country and most of the Pop of today's age. I was especially into Rock and Metal, so figured that I'd want to do something related to music in those genres starting out. My parents were supportive of that, which meant a lot to me. I figured that I'd decide on it at some point down the road though. As I neared the entrance of the store, I left my thoughts returning to the present. After looking through the window, I could see that my dad was behind the counter. He had his head down looking at something on his phone, and he typed on the phone's screen for several seconds. I then opened the door and entered. He continued typing, then tapped the screen. Setting down the phone, he looked up. "Alejandro, how was your time with your friends?" he asked as he came from behind the counter. We exchanged hugs, then I came behind the counter with him as he sent a quick text reply on his phone before placing it back down again. We then went to the back of the store where a couple of chairs and a small desk sat. After getting a couple of Cokes for us, he sat down. I sat across from him and then I began talking. "It was a nice time with my friends," I replied. "Thanks for asking, and how were things going here today?" "I'm really glad you guys had a good time today, and things were good here," my dad answered. "Your mom is out at the store right now. She's getting stuff for dinner tonight. We're probably going to be having soup and sandwiches since it's getting late." "That sounds good," I said. That was always a nice meal to have when our schedules were tight. Not to mention that the weather was getting even colder as the hours passed that evening, and I always enjoyed having that on the menu on a night like this one. "It really does," my dad said in agreement. "So, how's everything else going? I know we've all been really busy this week, and so the three of us haven't had much time to talk. You and I certainly haven't had a chance to just sit and check in for a while." "Yeah, I know that everyone has had a lot going on," I answered. "Things have been going well, and I've been enjoying hanging out with my friends. My classes are going well, and the after-school stuff I've been doing is really enjoyable too." "I'm really glad to hear all that," my dad said. "Also, your mom and I had been talking the last few days, and off and on over the last few months. She noticed that you haven't talked much about any girls you like. I've noticed it too. It's no big deal, but I was curious as to whether or not you have anyone you like yet?" I didn't think that we'd be having this conversation now, but clearly here it was. My parents would sometimes point out different girls we would see when out doing stuff. They would do this over the years, and though not weird about it, it still made me feel odd. I wasn't bothered exactly, but I was glad when they would go sometimes without doing it for a while. I wondered if they'd be so quick to point out any boys I might like if I figured out that I was gay and came out to them. "Not at the moment," I answered looking down at my hands. My dad watched me for a long moment, then spoke. "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable, and that's something your mom brought up to me a couple of months ago," he went on. "She said that she worried that she might have made you feel uncomfortable when she'd point out girls she would see while you guys would be out doing stuff. The same goes for me, and I apologize." I was glad to hear him say all that. It told me that they really were wanting me to be happy, and I wondered if they'd be supportive of me if I turned out to be gay. "Thanks for saying all that," I answered. "You guys didn't make me feel uncomfortable when you'd talk about girls, but it was just that I didn't really know what to think from time to time. It's not something I've thought much about over the years." "I understand," he said. "I know that for some people they don't get interested in girls until they start getting into their teens, much less if they like a specific girl. I'm sure you'll find the right girl here soon." "Yeah, maybe," I answered looking down for a moment. I had hoped to hear him add that if there might be a certain guy I'd like, then he'd be fully accepting of that. I hoped that this could be the case, but I worked to put it out of my mind. Just then my dad's phone chimed and he checked the in-coming text. "It's your mom," he said as he texted back. "She's finished at the store, and is on her way home. We should probably get headed back now ourselves." "That sounds good," I replied as I threw away both our empty Coke bottles. After I made sure everything was in order within the store, I switched off the lights after my dad walked out on to the sidewalk. I shut then locked the door. We then set off for home, and as I walked beside my dad, I felt my mind totally pressed down under the heavy thoughts regarding our conversation from earlier. 0000 Nohea The next morning, I awoke, and showered. Pietro woke up as I was drying off, and he showered after I exited the restroom. After that, we cuddled for a while. We spent the night before with me repeating on him all he had done with me that Saturday night. He really loved it, and I was so glad that I brought him so much pleasure. We ended last night's love-making by him sucking me until I filled his mouth to over-flowing with my cum. Like before, he swallowed it all, making my cock feel so wonderful! "I've had a really nice weekend," I said after we returned to our room when breakfast was finished. "I really feel like we've gotten even closer with the time we spent together, and I'll never forget it." "Neither will I," Pietro answered. "It was the best weekend I've ever spent with anyone, and I also feel like we've gotten even closer than ever. I really enjoyed the moments we sat in the living room drinking our cider and cuddling while watching TV, or talking. It felt like we were a couple living together." "I feel the same way," I said. "It also felt like we were a married couple." Pietro leaned in and kissed me tenderly on the lips. "Yeah, I know what you mean," he responded. "You're definitely the one I'd marry if we were old enough to do it right now." "I'd want that too," I answered. "I love you so much Pietro." "I love you too, so very much Nohea," he replied. "You're the missing part of my life, and I always love how complete I feel when we're together." "I feel the same way," I answered. We kissed again, and just lay in each other's arms for a while. Soon my dad was knocking on the door. Pietro and I got up and greeted him. After sharing a hug and kiss, I got in the car with my dad. We then headed back home. On the way home, our dad let me know that Beth was staying at the house watching Triston. Triston was still asleep and Dad didn't want to wake him yet. I told him that I was really looking forward to seeing Aunt Beth and Triston. Once back home, I greeted Aunt Beth, and she said that Triston was waking up. I went in and sat my bag down in my room. Before I could exit to go find my brother, he was headed towards my room. I walked over and he ran towards me. He wrapped his arms around me tightly, and I held him for a long moment. "I'm really glad to see you too," I said, kissing the top of his head. "I've really missed you." We stood there like that for a few moments with my arms around Triston. He was dressed in a pair of sweat pants, but no shirt. I rubbed his back up and down gently, and it was nice to feel his warm skin. Soon though we separated, with Triston holding my hand as we walked over to my bed. I sat, and he scooted towards me as I put my arm around him. "It was nice to talk to you the couple of times while I was at Pietro's house," I said. "It's really nice to see you in-person now though. Did you have anything special you wanted to do today? I'll be here all day so we can do whatever you want." Triston ran out of the room, then returned a moment later with his AAC device. "Legos," he typed. "Cool," I answered. "Legos it is." After I unpacked everything, Triston and I worked on a couple of buildings we made from his Lego blocks. It was really fun spending that time with him, and watching him put everything together. After we got it completed, he let me feel the tower he made, and I showed him mine. The one I made was probably an inch shorter than his, but he clearly liked both of them. "I think you did a really good job on yours," I said. He smiled, then we went back to my room to hang out for a while. Aunt Beth left after saying goodbye to us while we built our towers, and Dad was in his home office responding to several E-mails. "I'm really glad you and Pietro had a nice time together this weekend," Triston said as we sat down on my bed. "So am I," I responded. "We've definitely gotten even closer over the weekend, and when we were sitting together in the living room a few times, it felt like we were like a married couple. I really do want him as my husband when we get old enough to get married. He told me that he feels the same way." "I would love to see you guys marry each other someday too," Triston replied. "If you wanted me to be your best man, I'd totally do that." "Thanks, and that truly means a lot," I said kissing the top of Triston's head. "You're welcome," he answered. "I'd be happy to stand up for you. You're the best older brother I could have ever asked for, and I'd do anything for you." "I'd do anything for you too," I said stroking his hair. "You're the best little brother I could have ever asked for too. I'll always be here for you, and I promise you that. I'd do anything to see you happy." "I know you would, and I really appreciate that," he responded. We shared a long hug, then we went to get something for lunch. It was really nice to be there with my family again, and feeling loved and safe at that moment. 0000 Aiden Foster I sat in the van as the two men got in the front seats. I had been forced into it only about five minutes ago, and I hadn't even known it was going to happen. I had been asleep, and had been awakened by someone roughly shaking me. When I awoke, a man was telling me that I could cooperate, or they could get rough with me if they had to. I tried to fight back, but I then felt a hard slap across my face. He slapped me again, and I sat up struggling to keep my composure. I looked directly at him, and he moved closer to me. "We're here to take you to a place to help you," the man said. "I'm Doug, and my friend's name here is Terry. We can take you easily, and you can just walk out with us. If you want to keep acting like a little punk, then we'll put you in handcuffs and carry you out. It's totally up to you." "Mom! Dad! Help!" I yelled. "They can't help you now," Terry said. "They sure can't," Doug added. "I don't understand any of this!" I said struggling to keep what was left of my composure. "We know everything that's going to happen," My mom said from the doorway of my room. "We've known since last week. You've been acting so odd the last couple of months, and I finally figured out why the week before last." "What do you mean?" I asked. "You should do a better job of hiding your drawings next time," she said. "She's right," my dad said, walking towards the doorway and standing beside my mom. "Really Aiden, under your bed between the mattress and box springs?" my mom said laughing in disgust. "Most kids can do better than that." I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach! I had hidden drawings of boys I had made over the last couple of months. I thought I had hidden them really well, but obviously that wasn't the case. The drawings of the boys weren't of any in particular, and they weren't X-rated. Sure, I had drawn them with attractive features, but I didn't think they were anything that anyone else would be offended by. My mom and dad were clearly bothered by it, and I could only assume now that they knew what I had been trying to conceal for a long time. "So you know?" I said with my head held down. "Yeah, I do," she replied. "We hoped we had been wrong," my dad said. "I suspected for a long time," my mom said. "Yeah, you'd talk about girls you liked, but I wasn't convinced." "Neither was I," my dad said. "We're sending you to a place where they can fix whatever this problem is that you have," my mom said. "After I found the pictures the week before last, I spent the next couple of days looking around for places that could help someone like you. I found one, and set everything up last Tuesday. I couldn't tell you, because I figured that you'd try to run away if you knew." "We're ready to go," Doug said. "We have a long trip," Terry added. "No!" I yelled. "Please, you can't do this! Please Mom! Please Dad! Don't let them do this to me! Please! I'll be good!" "Take him away," my mom said. "Maybe once you're back here in about six months, you'll be the son you're supposed to be." "Six months!" I yelled. "No! I can't go through this!" "It's already been arranged," my mom said. "You're going whether you like it or not," my dad added. Doug and Terry grabbed me, then handcuffed me faster than I thought would be possible. They dragged me out to the waiting van, then after they locked me inside, the two men went back to get my clothes. Now they were getting into the front seats of the van as I mentioned a moment ago. Once started up, Doug pulled out of the driveway, and I continued to sit there tied to the back seat with the handcuffs still on my wrists. I was truly scared now, and struggled not to cry! I was in a nightmare, and wanted desperately to wake up! Author's Notes I'm sure none of you saw this coming. Aiden's back. I thought for a long while as to what I wanted to do with his character. In case some of you don't remember, he was a school mate of Nohea's back at the beginning of the story. This was when Nohea was still going to the school for the blind. Now you'll get to see what happens to Aiden, and where things go from here. I hope you all really like what happens going forward. Having said all that, I hope everyone has had a good day, and is having a good evening. I'll see everyone in Chapter 21.