Love Without Boundaries - Chapter 18: Chapter 18

Eighteen
It had been a few days before Robert finally heard from Preston. He wanted them to hangout on Friday at Preston’s house since his parents were going to be gone. He didn’t really feel like hanging out today, especially with Grant. Nevertheless, he had promised Nora he would try to get to know him before judging him. He went downstairs into the kitchen, he was glad it was only his mom and Nora there. He didn’t want to see Rose or his uncle. Ever since Vince dumped Rose, she has been in one of her moods and of course his uncle was taking her side and believed that Nora persuaded Vince into breaking up with Rose.
“Morning Robert” Nora said as she placed a plate of waffles in front of him.
“Morning mom and Nora, you sure are in a good mood.”
“Somebody has to be, since you have been in a foul mood lately. Plus today is the day me and Vince go on our first date.”
“No I have not, any idea where he is taking you?”
“No, he said it’s a surprise and yes you have been.”
“Well I hope you have fun tonight because you deserve it, just tell him that if he hurts you he will have to deal with me.”
“Ha ha ha, ok I’ll tell him. What time are you leaving?”
“Um I think sometime after lunch or maybe later.”
“Sounds like you don’t want to go.” Robert’s mom asked.
“I do, it’s just that I have a lot to do before next week, since I’ll be leaving next Friday.”
“Then maybe you should cancel I’m sure Ann Marie and her cousin would understand. It’s not like y’all are going to different schools.”
“He can’t cancel mom, because then it will seem like he doesn’t want to hang out with Ann Marie’s cousin.”
“Why would they think that?” Robert wished Nora had not put in her two cents, he didn’t want to have to tell his mom how he knew Preston before meeting him as Ann Marie’s cousin.
“It’s cause Ann Marie’s cousin is gay and the fact that Robert left early from dinner at her house, just made it look like he has a problem with gay people.”
“Is this true?”
“Thank you Nora. Yes but that is not why I left, I hadn’t felt well so I came home.”
“Ok well now I see why you feel like you must go, but if you want I can take care of some things for you, so you don’t have so much to do.”
“No that’s ok; it’s not much more I have to take care of.”
“Are you sure you don’t need me to do anything for you?”
“I’m sure; I’ll see you guys later. I’m going to take care of something before I leave.”
“Ok mijo, and try to have fun today. You have been in a bad mood lately.”
“Yeah lighten up, your bit of a downer lately.”
“Ok point taken, I’ll have fun and come back in a better mood.”
“Good now go and have fun.”
“Ok Nora I’ll see you later and I’m going to want details of your first date.” Robert yelled out as he stepped outside.
“What time did Robert say he was coming over?” Preston asked Ann Marie.
“Um he said he will be here sometime after one. He had some things he had to take care of before he came over. What time is Grant coming over?”
“He should be here any minute; he just stopped to pick up the movies,”
“Is he getting good movies, because I don’t want to watch something that is going to be lame?”
“He said he was getting romantic comedies.”
“Oh hum I don’t think Robbie is going to like the romantic comedies. I have never been able to actually get him to sit through a whole movie.”
“What how can anyone not like romantic comedies?”
“Robbie is one of them and basically any straight guy out there.”
“Oh come off it, there are some straight guys who like to watch them. Of course, they will never say it in front of their friends. I bet you Robert does like them, but he doesn’t want to seem like a weenie.”
“He isn’t a weenie; he just doesn’t like how cliché they are.”
“What they are not cliché, who doesn’t enjoy a happy ending?”
“Robbie doesn’t.”
“Why is that?”
“Now that is something you’re going to have to ask him about.”
“What you have never asked him why he doesn’t like happy endings?”
“Yes but its better if you hear it from him.”
“For some reason I’m getting the feeling I won’t like his reason for not liking happy endings.”
“If you’re smart you won’t ask him.”
“But now you have me intrigued.”
“Well it’s your choice.” The doorbell rang. “That must be Grant do you want me to answer the door or do you want to?”
“I’ll get it and you know what, I’m going to ask him anyway.” Preston said as he opened the door.
“Ask who what?” Grant said as he walked in and gave Preston a kiss on the cheek.
“Robert is not a fan of romantic comedies and I’m going to ask him why not.”
“What does he have against happy endings?”
“That’s what I said.”
“I’m telling you guys, if y’all ask him you might not like his answer. And what happen to your eye?” Ann Marie asked when she saw Grant’s black eye.
“Oh this I got when I was helping my aunt move some of her furniture.”
“Ouch it still looks like it hurts.” Ann Marie said.
“Not as bad as it did when I got it and why do you say we won’t like his answer?” Grant said.
“Trust me you won’t.”
“Well I still want to know.”
“Ok I warned you.”  The doorbell rang again.
“Oh be quiet, go answer the door. It’s for you anyway, unless it’s the pizza.” Ann Marie opened the door to come face to face with Robert. She noticed he was still wearing his glasses. It made her wonder why he was still wearing them. She was sure he had gotten his new contact lens by now.
“Hey Robbie, wasn’t really expecting you until later and why are you still wearing glasses? I thought you said they gave you headaches or something like that?”
“Well hello to you too babe; it’s nice to see you.”
“Sorry I know I really need to stop greeting you like that.”
“Yeah you do and I know I said I was coming later, but I got done early. I thought you liked it when I wore glasses. Oh and I brought some snacks.” Robert held up a sack full of junk food.
“I do, but you said they were a pain to wear them. Therefore, I didn’t expect you to wear them still and we are just waiting on the pizza.”
“Well when I’m told I look handsome it gives me more of a reason to wear them.”
“Come on everyone is in the living room.”
“Ok here can you take this I just need to use the bathroom.” Robert said as he handed Ann Marie the sack and headed to the bathroom.
“You’re not getting sick on me again are you?”
“Oh god no I just need to use the bathroom, don’t worry I don’t plan on getting sick tonight.”
“Ok good, I’ll be waiting for you in the living room then.”
Robert walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. He removed his glasses, threw some cold water on his face, and said to himself. “You can do this Robert; it’s just hanging out with your girlfriend, your friend and his boyfriend. You will have fun today and get to know Grant and see the great person Preston sees in him.”  He dried his face and put back on his glasses. He knew that whatever dislike he felt toward Grant, he was going to have to keep it in check right now. Not wanting to put it off any longer, he walked out of the bathroom and went to join the others.
“Where’s Robert and what’s in the bag?” Preston asked when Ann Marie walked back into the room carrying a bag.
“He is in the bathroom and he brought snacks,” Ann Marie replied as she placed the bag on the coffee table and flopping down on the couch.
“He’s not getting sick again is he?” Preston asked.
“A guy gets sick one time and no one will ever let him live it down.” Robert said as he took a seat next to Ann Marie.
“Well you really don’t have a good track record so far.”
“True, but I’m fine now and I’m here to get to know you two.”
“So what do you guys want to do first?” Grant asked.
“Well we can watch movies or just chat while we wait for the pizza to come?” Ann Marie said.
“Let’s watch a romantic comedy?” Preston said as he placed two movies in front of Robert.
Great Robert thought to himself, they had to pick those kinds of movies. He hated those kinds of movies. Robert picked up one of the movies and looked at it; it was your typical romantic comedy movie. Boy meets girl, boy doesn’t realize girl is his soul mate and ends up blowing it. Then has to make an ass of himself to win her back, so cliché and over done. He wasn’t going to sit for two hours and watch this garbage.
“Well if this is all we have to watch, you can count me out.” Robert said as he tossed the movie back on the coffee table and got up to leave.
“Are you serious? You’re just going to leave like that, just because of the movie choices?” Grant said.
“Well yes, I have my reasons for not wanting to watch these kinds of movies. If you want me to stay, we have to do something else.”
“What’s your reason for not watching or liking these movies?” Grant was really getting on Roberts nervous right now.
“I’m not going to get in to it right now, either we do something else or I’m leaving.”
“Then I guess you will be leaving then, because we don’t have any other movies.”
“You’re serious these are the only movies you rented, didn’t you consider maybe not everyone liked romantic comedies?”
“Well no, because who doesn’t like romantic comedies and happy endings. Anyway I think you’re just trying to find an excuse to leave.” Grant stood up and faced Robert; Robert was glaring at Grant as he stepped up closer to him.
“I don’t like them and what are you trying to say, I don’t want to be here?” Robert shouted at Grant as he closed the gap between them.
“That is exactly what I’m saying; I think you have a problem with homosexuals!” Grant shouted back at Robert.
“Now listen here and listen well, I do not have a problem with homosexuals. I support whatever lifestyle a person chooses to live. I am no one special to judge someone’s way of life and if I did have a problem I would have never showed up in the first place.”
“You showed up because you didn’t want anyone to know you’re a homophobe!”
“Look here Grant, I do not like you attitude right now or how you’re implying I’m a homophobe.”
“Truth hurts doesn’t.” Grant was really pushing Robert’s buttons right now.  At that moment, Robert really wanted to punch him in the face.
“Stop it you two!” Preston shouted. Robert looked at Preston; he could see anger in his eyes, but Robert didn’t care. He felt like it was Grant who was trying to start a fight with him and he wasn’t going to let him push him around like that.
“He started it, and you know I don’t have a problem with homosexuals.” Robert said, while looking at Preston. He didn’t care if everyone found out that he had met Preston beforehand. He would just love to see the look on Grant’s face when he finds out that Robert is the friend he has been hanging out with.
“How would he know that, he just met you like a couple of days ago? To which I might add you didn’t stay very long.”  Grant said.
Robert looked at Preston to see if he was going to say how they knew each other before that day at dinner. The look on Preston face was all Robert needed to see, he was never going to tell anyone the truth.
“You know what; I don’t need to put up with this I’m out of here.” Robert said as he headed to the door.
“Robbie wait, you don’t have to leave. We will just do something else and you can prove to Grant you’re not a homophobe by staying.” He looked into Ann Marie’s eyes, it wasn’t fair to her if he left, but he couldn’t spend another minute in the same room with Grant. He might do something he was going to regret. Like give him a matching black eye.
“I’m sorry Ann Marie; I just can’t stay in a room with someone who likes to pick a fight over anything.”
“You won’t even stay for me? We can just forget the movies, I know you don’t like them I tried to warn them. If you want we can just hang out just the two of us.” Ann Marie looked at him with her doe eyed look. Under normal circumstance, he would do anything for her, but right now, he was too pissed to fall for it. However if Preston had asked him to stay he would of, but he didn’t even try to stop him from leaving. Which only meant one thing, when Grant was around he didn’t mean nothing to Preston.
“Sorry I can’t, I might do something I’ll end up regretting. I’ll call you later.” Robert gave her a kiss and left. Ann Marie walked back into the living room.
“Well I hope you’re happy, Robbie left and I think I’m just going up to my room.”
“I’m sorry Ann Marie I didn’t mean to go that far. Come on we could just still watch the movie.” Grant said.
“No I really don’t feel like it now.” Ann Marie said as she went upstairs.
“What was that all about?” Preston asked Grant.
“Look I’m sorry I didn’t mean to take it that far, I just got the feeling he was a homophobe.”
“Are you serious, why were you picking a fight with Robert?”
“I wasn’t picking a fight with him; all I did was asked him a simple question. He is the one that was getting mad for no reason.”
“You just don’t know when to stop do you?”
“What you mean?”
“You just like to  push people to their limits, your just lucky Robert has more self-control then my dad, or you would have a matching pair of black eyes.”
“I do not like to push people to their limits and what the hell was he talking about you knowing he isn’t a homophobe?”
“Yes you do and for your information he was the one that talked to Ann Marie when she didn’t know how to deal with me being gay. He was the one that helped her see I’m still me no matter what I did.” He didn’t think it was a good time to tell him, that he met Robert that day he left him at the mall.
“Oh”
“Yeah so I think you owe someone an apology, but I don’t think this is going to happen any time soon. Since you totally pissed him off and won’t want to hang out with us anymore.”
“Crap your right, I’m really sorry, how about I ask Ann Marie for his number and I’ll call him to apologize.”
“Ok good, so I guess it’s just you and me. Still want to watch the movies?”
“Of course do you even have to ask?”
“No you’re such a sap for romantic movies.”
“Of course my love, how else do you think I became so charming?’
“Who told you, that you are charming, because they lied to you?”
“Ouch really, you’re going to hit a guy below the belt like that?”
“Yes I am, someone needs to keep you from getting a big head.”
“Ok if you say so, now come on we have two movies calling our names.” Grant put in the first movie, and sat next to Preston. Preston felt guilty, if he just told the truth then Robert wouldn’t have left and Ann Marie wouldn’t be in her room right now. He was afraid of what Grant would say that his friend he had been hanging out with was Robert. He was getting the feeling Grant didn’t like Robert. He couldn’t understand why they couldn’t just get along. It’s not as if Robert was interested in him that way, so why would Grant need to be jealous? He should just tell him, it’s the only way they were all be able to get along without all the bickering between them.
“Grant I have something to tell you.” Preston said as he put the movie on pause.
“Ok what is it?”
“The friend I have been hanging out with is Robert. I met him the day you dropped me off at the mall and since that day, we have been friends. The reason I didn’t tell you, because at the time I didn’t know if he was gay or not and I didn’t want you to jump to the conclusion I was seeing someone else.”
“So why didn’t you tell me at dinner?”
“I wanted to but I didn’t want to do it in front of Ann Marie, because he hadn’t told her yet. I wanted to give him a chance to tell her.” Preston waited for Grant’s reply and he hoped he didn’t get mad about it.
“Ok that’s alright, it’s good for you to have a friend you can hang out with.”
“You’re not mad that I lied to you?”
“No why should I be, it’s not like Robert is interested in you.” Grant sure did know how to rub salt into an open wound. That’s what it felt like when Grant said that to him. He knew Robert would never be interested in him like that.
“Yeah your right, I feel better now that I got that off my chest.”
“I don’t know why you felt like you had to lie to me about it. “
“Yeah I know, well let’s just get back to the movie.” Preston said as he pushed play on the remote. He hoped the movie would help him forget about how he could never have Robert and that he could only dream and hope one day he could be with him.