“Marsh, you know I can’t let you keep yourself locked up in your room all night!” said my mum through my bedroom door. “It’s Halloween night! You should go outside!”569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfy14960ehs
I appreciate her determination to get me outside on Halloween Night, but this has to end.
“Mum, for the last time: I do not want to go trick-or-treating tonight! Please leave me alone!” I yelled.
“Oh for the love of everything holy…”
Before I knew it, she entered my room. I looked up at my mother. I expected her to look stern and angry but instead she looked concerned, worried.
She sat on my bed beside me. I closed my laptop and set it aside.
“Marshall love,” she whispered. “I know all you wanna do is stay on your computer all night and wait this out, but please remember: life is short, your childhood doesn’t last a lifetime and someday, you’re gonna have to grow up.”
This really hit me hard. Life is short. But did I really wanna go outside? On Halloween night?
“Okay, Mum,” I nodded. “I’ll think about it.”
I watched as she started to smile. “That’s my Marshmallow!” she said happily.
She stood up and began to leave my room, forgetting to close my door.
“Think about it!” she yelled as she walked away.
I stared at my feet. I was wearing my black wool ankle-length socks. I took a peek at the clock on my bedside table. It was still early: 7:43 pm. It was still early.
I stood from my bed and walked to my window. I saw the trick-or-treaters walking, some were running. I even saw people older than me. Then I saw him. Daniel. In his Tokyo Ghoul cosplay. He was dressed up as Kaneki. He was wearing the mask, the sweater, and even the hair -it was his natural hair color: white blonde. Everything except the pants -that was reasonable, it was cold in our town this time of the year. He’d been talking about it with his friends all week non-stop. That was cute.
He was with Kitty, his little sister. She was five years old. She was wearing an All Might onesie, holding the hand of her older brother as they walked along the road.
I turned around and sat on the floor. I needed a reason to go out there. This was it. But did I want to go out there?
I groaned as I looked up at the ceiling.
I heard footsteps. I turned my head to the doorway.
“Love, are you okay?” It was just mum.
“Yes mum, I’m okay” I smiled.
“Aww… My baby boy,” she said as she walked towards me with her arms outstretched.
She went down on the floor and hugged me. She was too sympathetic and sweet, and that was okay.
Just then I heard louder, faster footsteps. My brother was running in the hallway.
“Mum! Mummy! Mummy where are you?” he screamed.
“Oh no…” my mum sighed. “Just wait,” she said as she took her arms back and stood up.
“Kenneth!” she called out. “I’m in your brother’s room!”
He appeared at my doorway.
“Aww… Is Little Marshy back on his period? Does he need Mummy’s little hugs again?” he teased.569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtA4qTrrsRP
“Ken, just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I’ve turned into a girl!” I yelled at him, jumping up onto my feet.
He giggled.
“Boys, please! No more fighting!” my mother pleaded.
When I came out to my family on my thirteenth birthday, nobody complained nor teased me. They all just congratulated me and said things like, “Marshall, I’m so proud of you!” or “Hey, it takes guts to do what you just did,” and “So you like guys now?” Except for my brother. He was the oldest of all the kids and the youngest of all the grown-ups that time so he was a little bit of an attention seeker. It’s not that important.
“Anyways, Mum I can’t find my ukulele,” he said. He was going as Miguel from Coco. “Can I use Marshall’s instead?”
“What? Mum, no!” I exclaimed.
“No you may not. I will help you find your ukulele,” my mum said reasonably.
“Aw, sad,” said my brother.
My mum walked out of my room and brought my brother with her. Now I was alone in my room again.
I walked to my closet. I opened the door with the mirror on it. I saw my reflection through the empty mirror. I was so skinny unlike my brother. He wasn’t fat or skinny, just in the middle of the two. And my hair was a complete mess. I haven’t had a haircut in such a long time, the waves grew up until my shoulders. I tied the top part into a bun with a rubber band and the bangs and the lower part alone- I thought that ponytails made it too obvious that I wasn’t straight anymore.
I took my eyes off the mirror and into my closet. It was composed of mostly black clothes and some red, white, blue, and green pieces, but still: black.
I was searching through my closet looking for something clean and comfy to wear until the doorbell rang.
“Marshall!” my mum called out. “Can you please get that for me? I’m still here helping your brother!”
I sighed. “Sure Mum!” I yelled.
“Thank you so! And if it’s the trick-or-treaters, don’t forget to smile and try to guess their costumes!” she yelled.
I was already walking downstairs in my black hoodie, my red pajamas, and my black wool socks. When I got to the door, I didn’t bother to look through the peephole first before opening the door… I wish I did.
“Trick or treat!” screamed Kitty, holding up her cupped hands in front of me.
“Trick or treat,” said Daniel, smiling at me.
“Oh um…” I searched for the candy bowl on the table beside the door. Then I picked it up and held it out to Kitty. She gasped and happily grabbed two handfuls, shoving it into her onesie.
I felt my cheeks get warm. I forgot how tall he was. How charming. How kind.
“Kitty…” he said. Kitty looked up at his older brother with her bright blue eyes, both nearly being covered by her hood.
“I think you forgot something,” he continued.
Kitty looked at me and took a cute little bow.
“Thank you so much for the candies!” she said.
“Heh… Y-you’re wel-c-come!” I stuttered, smiling at Kitty.
“Hey,” said Daniel.
I looked at him. Shit he was pretty.
“Don’t I know you from somewhere?” he continued, tilting is head a bit.
“Uh, we’re in the same science class and some other classes,” I said as calm as possible. Keep it together man!
“Oh yeah! You’re that guy… Marshall! You’re Marshall, right?”
Oh my God. He remembers my name. “Yes. Marshall… I am Marshall.”
“Well, I am Daniel Woodrow.” He held his hand out. I shook it.
“Anyways, there’s gonna be a party at Quesita Lopez’s house later at ten. You can come if you want to.”
“Oh. Uh. Sure. I’ll be there. Where again?” I didn’t know where Q’s house was. I’ve never been invited to any of her parties before.
“Quesita Lopez’s house. It’s up in Hamilton street.”
“Oh yeah. Okay, thanks.”
“Okay. I’ll see ya there.”
He held Kitty’s hand and turned around to leave.
“Happy Halloween!” he called out. “And don’t forget to dress up!”
“Bye! Happy Halloween! I will!” I waved.
I watched them walk away then I shut the door and leaned on it, my head against the door.
“Well that went swimmingly.”
I turned around. Mum and Ken were standing behind me. He was fully in his costume - he used his ukulele, thank God.
“Mum, you know it didn’t,” I sighed.
“No you were actually calmed than me when I did it,” she said. “You were… cute.”
“Thanks, Mum.”
“Yeah, ‘thanks mom.’” mimicked my brother.
He walked past me, his ukulele strapped to his back and his pumpkin in his hand. He opened the door and walked out of the house.
Now it was Mum and me who were alone in the house.
“You have a few more hours till that party. Are you going or not?” she said.
“What?” I said, confused.
“Didn’t you tell the boy you were going to that party?”
“Yes.”
“Then what are you still doing here? Go and get ready!”
“Oh. Right.”
I ran upstairs and into my room. I had to dress up. But what do I dress up in?
My closet was open wide. I was wearing a black top, black pants, black Doc Martens, a red and black flannel, and a grey beanie. I dressed up as Marshall Lee Abadeer, the Vampire King from Adventure Time. I was Marshall dressed up as Marshall.
I took the beanie off and untied my hair. I fixed it a little, but no luck. It still looked like a mop. A messy, black, dry mop.
Mom must’ve heard me complaining cause she entered my room.
“Honey, I think you need help,” she said.
“Mom, I need help.” I admitted.
She smiled and appeared behind me through the mirror. I was a few inches taller than her, so she had to look over my shoulder.
“Okay. So. What’s the problem?” she said as if she was some kind of detective.
“Hair. It’s messy.”
“Ah, hair. You are so lucky to have a mom. We know all about these.”
` I loved how she said this with pride over being a mom. I was lucky to have a mom. I was very lucky to have her, especially.
“Can you cut it?” I asked her.
She was messing around with my hair and then suddenly stopped to look at me.
“What? No! Why would I cut it? I will only fix it,” she said.
She brought out her brush.
“Let’s sit on your bed. This won’t be quick,” she recommended.
I nodded and we sat on my bed. I sat facing the window, while she sat behind me, cross legged.
“So, who was he?” she asked as she brushed my hair, going through the tangles.
“Who?” I asked.
“Oh you know what I mean!”
I supposed she was right.
“His name’s Daniel. He’s from school.”
“He seemed nice.”
“Yeah, he is.”
There was a short pause, but then she started laughing.
“I know you like him, Marsh.” she said.
Now I’m scared, confused, and ashamed. My face got warm again.
“How do you know?” I asked.
“I’m your mom, don’t be silly.” she said.
She finished brushing my hair and put my beanie on. I looked in the mirror and saw me, Marshall dressed up as Marshall.
I walked to the party, alone. Mom insisted. I wanted her to drive me there, but she said that I was old enough to go alone.I had only my phone, five hundred, and two condoms- she insisted and I don’t want to know where she got them and how or even why. She also said that if I came home earlier than three in the morning, she’d have to ground me.
“You’re seventeen. Live, laugh, and love, Marsh,” is what she said when I told her I was having second thoughts.
Now I was in front of Q Lopez’s house, standing on the road. The house was huge. In fact, it wasn’t even a house, it was a mansion. God, you could see the craziness through the window.
I walked up to the door and pushed the doorbell. It rang and Q opened the door.
“Oh my God! Marshall!” she shouted. She was wearing some kind of anime maid costume. Her top was cropped and her skirt was at least five inches short. Her tights were stained in wine and she smelled like alcohol. But she wasn’t drunk. I think.
She pulled me in and closed the door. “Spooky Scary Skeletons” was booming through the speakers and lights were flashing bright as hell. Some people were wearing those glow in the dark bracelets. This was when I realized she wasn’t the only one who smelled like alcohol.
I walked around a bit. In the living room, people were dancing. In the kitchen, people were doing drugs and eating. Outside, people were either in the pool or playing pool. There was one thing I noticed that never changed and stayed the same everywhere I went: everyone smelled like alcohol.
I went upstairs looking for the bathroom because I don’t know anyone in here and I wasn’t planning to socialize. Luckily, there was barely any people upstairs, only people kissing and people fucking in the bedrooms.
I entered the bathroom and sat on the toilet. I was here for only ten minutes and I want to go home.
I checked my phone. No texts or missed calls. No new notifications.
I stood up from the toilet and stood in front of the mirror. There was always that guy in the movies who stayed in the bathroom. I was Marshall in the Bathroom. But I didn’t think I wanted to be that guy.
I turned around and opened the door to exit the bathroom, but I was being blocked. I looked up and realized it was Daniel. It was kinda awkward to see that he looked as surprised as I was. But unlike me, he got his cool back.
“I was worried that you weren’t coming,” he said.
“Well, you were wrong,” I smiled. He smiled back.
He looked down the hallway. “Hey, you wanna go downstairs?” he said turning his head back to me.
“But weren’t you going to the bathroom?” I said, confused.
“Yeah, I thought you were Karen.”
Karen Monterillas was Daniel’s girlfriend. This was why I couldn’t have a chance with him. Plus, he was straight anyways so why would I even try?
I followed him down the hall and downstairs. We went to the kitchen which was near empty. I leaned on a corner of the marble kitchen counter while he was looking through the fridge with two large red cups.
“What do you want?” he said, facing the fridge.
“What?” I asked, confused.
“To drink.”
“Oh. Uhm…”
“You don’t drink, do you?”
“Yeah.”
“Good for you. I’m not gonna force you to start now.”
That was kinda nice of him.
“Water, orange juice, or Gatorade?” he asked.
“No thanks. I was kinda thinking of trying alcohol tonight,” I said.
“Wait. Are you sure? Cause they only have Black Label left.”
“I don’t know what that is but I’ll try it.”
“Suit yourself,” he laughed.
He brought out the large bottle of whatever the hell was in there. He twisted off the cap and poured it onto one of the big red cups he was holding onto and filled the other cup with tap water.
He stood in front of me, too awkwardly close. He drank from the cup with the alcohol and I watched his Adam’s apple move as he gulped it down. Then he stopped.
“Wow,” he whispered. His eyes were wide and his shoulders heaved. “You gotta be careful with this one. It’s strong.”
“I don’t care,” I said as I took the cup from him. Before I knew it, I was drinking it, gulping it down. It went down to my throat and burned it, then it went to my ears, burning those too.
When I finished the cup, I fell over and landed on something soft and huggable. I started giggling for no reason. Wait, where’s Daniel?
“Ow,” I said.
“Hey, you okay?”
Shit, where’d that come from?
I stood up and looked in front of me. That was him. Daniel.
“Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-”
“Shhh… Quiet,” he interrupted. I just realized he was holding onto my forearms. “Here,” he said, handing me another cup. “Drink some water.”
I took it and gulped down the water. Oh sweet water…
“How did it feel?” he asked.
“It burns,” I choked.
“Yeah, that’s what I meant by strong,” he said. I finished the water and he held my chin up.
“You never should’ve done that, y’know?” he whispered, looking into my eyes.
“I still did it, and I have no regrets,” I whispered.
“You’re cute, Marshall Cameron” he whispered.
He leaned in, grabbing me by the collar. He tasted like alcohol.
Wait a minute…
HE’S GAY???569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WYnkUXj9I
