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ELEVEN RUNNER
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James had left Norman's house that night with the truth. He didn't know everything, but he knew enough. It felt strangely weird to tell someone. James had hugged him for the first time in probably years and things felt different. Norman had expected something crazy, maybe another punch in the face, but instead the boy had only shrugged.
"I think Lila's gay, too, so," James had said.
Now, James was gone. The morning had come quickly, but it wasn't like Norman had slept a wink. Did he come out? Did it count as coming out if he didn't even know what he was coming out as? This was too complicated for his exhausted brain. He groaned as he rubbed his eyes, rolling over in bed to grab his phone off of the nightstand, checking the time. To his surprise, it was past noon and he had a few missed texts from John B. He still couldn't stand the contact name Alisha had given him, but he didn't feel like changing it. The one text that set off the most panic in his heart was the latest one that read, "lol John's driving but we're on our way so wake the fuck up!! - kie :)"
It was sent five minutes ago, so he cursed to himself before rolling out of bed. He caught a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror as he walked past the open door. Norman looked like an absolute mess, but that could be dealt with later. What he needed right now was to not be shirtless and bleary-eyed when he heard John B pull up out front. God, he really needed to start setting some alarms so he was more mentally prepared for this.
As he got dressed and jogged down the stairs, his mother was leaning against their kitchen island, checking her phone. Once she saw him, she straightened up and glowered at him which was unexpected.
"Where have you been these last few days?" she asked, tucking her phone into her back pocket and crossing her arms, "You've been leaving the moment you wake up and coming back way late, your friends keep coming in looking for you, so I know you're not with them. Alisha lied to save you once, but you know that girl cannot lie to save her life. Who are these new people you're hanging out with? You're not getting into drugs, are you, sweetheart?"
He laughed, shaking his head, "No, no drugs. I've been hanging out with Mr. Carrera's daughter, Kiara. The one you met at the thing last year, the benefit, or whatever."
"Oh!" he hated how much his mother's face lit up at that, "So like, hanging out or hanging out?"
"Mom!" he exclaimed, shaking his head, "We're friends, speaking of, I'm pretty sure she's here. Bye!"
The woman shook her head with a laugh as she bid him goodbye and he ran through the front door just as John B was pulling up in the van. He took his place in the back and sighed with relief.
"Good morning," he greeted everyone with a smile.
"It's noon!" John B countered with a confused expression as he drove off towards the docks.
