Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ When Darkness Falls ❯ Chapter Nine ( Chapter 9 )

To say that Frank Dincht had exploded would be putting it mildly.

"Zell are you there, pick up!" Selphie was saying over the answering machine message. The room was dead silent except for Selphie's frantic voice calling to him, until Frank knocked the phone into the wall. The lovers were frozen, sitting side by side, completely naked on Zell's bed.

Someone had to say something. Zell opened his mouth to speak but his father shot him the look of death, so he closed up.

Gathering up his voice to a yell that was probably heard all the way at the school, Frank Dincht shouted. "GET OUT!" He pointed behind him to the door. Locke, lowering his eyes, frantically picked up his clothes before he ran out the door.

Zell followed with his eyes, then he turned them back onto his father. "Why did you do that?" He asked.

But Frank wasn't finished yet. Zell's mother had completely broken down into tears on the floor; Zell got up to calm her down. "Don't you touch her, you fucking faggot!" His father snapped, causing Zell to shrink away.

His father stalked to the closet grabbing a clean shirt, slipping his hand through it for protection, he then walked back over to his son and grabbed him up by the arm.

"Ow!" Zell cried feeling the grip behind it.

Frank drew his son in close to him - but not so much that he'd touch him, and he hissed. "That goes for you, too. As of now, you are no longer my son."

"What?" Zell whispered, he couldn't believe his ears!

"You heard me," His father said shoving him to the door. "GET OUUUUTTT!"

Zell stumbled towards the door but held the frame to keep him from falling.

"But, I... Mom, you can't let him do this?" He pleaded.

Brandy shook her head, standing on trembling legs. "You heard him,"" She said lowly, then it grew into a shout. "Get out! Get out!" Brandy went to the closet grabbing Zell's clothes tossing them at him. "Get out!" Brandy continuelly shouted with tears streaming down her face.

This time Zell's eyes welled up with tears. "But where will I go?" He asked, hoping this was all some dream, and that his parents only needed to cool off a bit.

"Who the hell cares!" His father startled him. "OUT!"

Zell's face scrunched in pain. He attempted to gather up something to cover himself, but a violent shove on the back from his dad, left him without. He walked down the hall. 'This can't be happening,' He replayed the entire scene in his head. 'And Selphie, she wasn't calling to bug me... Why didn't I pick up the phone?' His head was hung low; tears falling without audio. Zell could hear his parents upstairs still screaming and crying, he even heard sounds of things being broken and ripped.

"Gay! Gay! How could my fucking son be gay!?" His father screamed.

'Maybe if I just talk to them, they'll listen and understand that it's not a big deal.' He walked into the laundry room, opening the dryer, pulling out some of his clothes that he was glad he cleaned the day before. Slipping them on, he heard his parents coming down the stairs. 'It's now or never.' He walked out of the laundry room and his father glared at him.

"I thought I told you to get out." Frank said.

"I... I just thought that... we could talk." His voice lowered with every word he said.

His father marched towards him and he thought he was going to grab him again, but what he did was much worse. "Fucking fag." He said pulling his fist back, punching his son square in the eye with a left hook.

The pain was too sharp for Zell to make a sound, he just touched his cheek in a daze or horror that his own father hit him.

"Don't make me say it again." The man growled. Shoving Zell to the front hall, he pushed the teen against the door. "Out! Now! Go!"

Zell opened the front door, turning around about to speak again, but cowarded thinking he'd be hit again. Before he could even get completely out the door it slammed behind him.

"Zell!" Selphie shouted running across the lawn. She was standing with Locke who looked like grim death. "Zell, are you ok?" She asked.

The rejected teen lowered himself to the stoop, still holding the doorknob in his hand, and he stared blankly.

"Zell?" Selphie said stooping down beside him and scooping him into her arms.

"They threw me out." He said lowly. Slowly rising to his feet, bringing his shorter friend up with him.

She could hear the tears in his voice. They fell hard against her shirt and she reached up wiping them away from his cheeks. Zell felt another pair of arms wrap around him and Selphie looked up seeing Locke behind him.

"I'm sorry." He whispered into Zell's hair. The three of them remained like that. They let Zell cry for as long as he needed to.

...

"You can stay at my house until your parents cool off." Selphie was saying. She fluffed the blanket out and fluffed the pillows so that Zell would be comfortable. "It'll be just like when we were little kids, and you slept over; and my mom gave us the rest of the cheese from the velveeta packets when she made maccaroni."

Zell wasn't listening, he could only stare into space while wondering if all of this was really going on. It just couldn't be real. Selphie sat down on the bed beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," He turned his drying red-rimmed gaze to her when hearing her voice; she smiled at him saying. "Everything will be ok in the morning."

Zell sniffled and shook his head. "No, it won't." He whispered through his sobs. His growing black eye stung from the moisture.

"Ooohhh," Selphie wrapped her arms around him in a hug and he held her back.

"I really messed up this time, Selphie." He continued to cry.

Selphie's mother stuck her head into her room and waved to get her attention. "Honey, I brought you guys some milk and cookies." She walked in and placed them down on the side table. "Hey son, I'm not sure what's going on, but, I'm know your parents will have cooled off in the morning. I'll talk to them for you."

Selphie grinned. Sometimes she loved her intrussive family. 'Although, she did bring in milk and cookies.' She rolled her eyes in mock embarrassement. Her mother patted Zell's shoulder then walked out.

"We better eat that before the milk gets cold." Said Selphie knowing the milk was spiked with warmth to put her weeping friend to sleep.

"I'm not hungry." Zell whispered.

Selphie frowned and gave him one last hug. "You sleep tight, okay?" Standing up, Selphie grabbed a cookie off the plate, taking one last look at Zell before she walked out. "Call me if you need anything." She said over her shoulder.

"Selphie?"

She turned back peeking her head in. "Yup?"

"Can you sleep in here with me?" Zell asked. "I don't really wanna be alone right now."

She nodded and went into her room to grab her blanket. Zell took a cookie from the plate and nibbled at it, waiting for Selphie to get changed and return to the guest bedroom.

"But I didn't know why he was kicked out," It was Selphie's mom and dad.

But where was it coming from? Looking around the room with his eyes he saw a vent in the corner. It must be attached to the one in the kitchen. He got up from the bed and put his ear to it.

"He can't stay here, Marie. He just can't." Her husband was saying.

"But he's like a son to me." Marie explained. "I can't just turn him out to the streets."

"He's like a son to me, too, but I'm sorry honey. What else can we do?" He leaned in close to the woman whispering now as though he knew they were being listened to. "What if he rubs it off on our daughter?" It was silent.

'He doesn't actually think that's a thing... He can't!' Thought Zell.

"Alright. But pleeease, just let him stay for tonight, Ned?" His wife pleaded.

"Of course he can." Their voices were gone, until they began to talk about something else. Zell was hurt now, beyond all reason. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes again, but he doesn't feel like crying anymore. He had done enough of that for one night. How could something that was supposed to be perfect get ruined so quickly?

"Okay, I'm ready for bed." Selphie announced. She folds the blanket that's currently on the bed over to make room for her own folded in half blanket, which she tossed onto the California king. "There, now I won't snatch the covers from you."

'At least Selphie still loves me; it didn't even shock her when I first told her I might be gay.' He smiled faintly. 'She just giggled and sang some odd, eight second song about two guys in love.' He stood up and walked over to the bed, pulling apart the covers, climbing inside of it like it was a sleeping bag. Selphie did the same.

"Hhhaaa," She sighed and closed her eyes with a smile. "Just like old times." She declared.

Zell made a false laugh, and replied. "Yeah." He closed his eyes as well.

Selphie hummed gently until she fell asleep. Zell just listened to her sounds while looking around in the dark room. From her window he could see directly across to his house. It looked as though his parents were still in his room moving around.

'Gods, they really do hate me.' He snuggled in next to Selphie and closed his eyes. 'And now, the Tilmitts won't even let me stay with them. What am I gonna do?' He lay silent in his thoughts, and then it hit him. 'Locke! I can stay with him! Why didn't I think of it sooner?' A smile appeared on his face now and he felt a little more at peace. 'Everything'll be fine after all. I might be homeless, but I've still got Locke. He won't turn me away.'

The next day.

Zell was having breakfast with the Tilmitts. It was quiet. Selphie looked around curious. Her family was never quiet in the morning. They thought it was insane for people to sit around a table not talking to each other.

'Maybe I should get the ball rolling.' She thought.

Just as she went to open her mouth, Ned cut her off saying. "Zell, I'm very sorry, but you can't stay here."

"What?!" Selphie gasped.

"I understand, sir." Said Zell softly.

"No, you don't." Selphie stated. "Why can't he stay here?" She demanded to know.

Her parents exchanged looks then sighed. "Because, we didn't know the content of that fight... We think maybe you should know that..."

Selphie arched her eyebrows, she couldn't wait to hear what came next.

"We think you should know that, your bestfriend has been lying to you... lying to all of us, for years."

"About what?" She asked glancing from Zell to her parents.

"Selphie... Zell is gay." Her father said. "That means..."

"I know what it means!" The girl snapped. "I already knew that he's gay. I knew before anyone, and I don't care! Why do you?" She glared at them waiting for an answer.

Her parents couldn't look their daughter in the face right now.

She started laughing. "I get it... this is some kind of joke?" She laughed again. "It was pretty mean, but you had me going." She continued laughing and smacked Zell's shoulder. "Isn't it funny?"

"Selphie... It's true. They don't want me here." Zell said quietly. "I heard them talking last night; they think that by my staying here you're gonna be gay, too."

"Fuck you." She said to them.

"Young lady, watch your words." Her mother said.

Selphie narrowed her eyes at her and simply said. "No." This was ridiculous; she didn't have to respect her parents if they didn't respect her enough to let Zell stay. "Do you know how stupid you sound saying something like that?"

"Honey," Her father started. "Understand that, we don't wanna do this... But we really have no other options."

"Being understanding, and let him stay, is a pretty good option." When seeing they weren't going to budge she spat. "I hate you both." She stood and pulled Zell to his feet. "We're going to school. Come on, Zell."

"Thank you for breakfast." Said Zell, quietly.

Selphie's parents looked at each other feeling horrible, but they stood by their decision.

"I can't believe them." Selphie was saying as she got her bookbag together. "Adults can be such dog water sometimes."

Zell knew how mad Selphie was. She was talking like a five year old because words were escaping her.

"It's ok, Selphie." Zell said, placing a hand on her shoulder rubbing it up and down. "I'm sure my parents have calmed down by now... and if they haven't, I could always stay with Locke."

Selphie twisted her mouth from side to side then smiled. "Yeah, you're right. I'm sure he'll be fine with it; his parents don't know, so they might let you stay." Her head lowered. "But, what if they don't?" Looking at Zell with tears in her eyes, she asked. "What if you really have to stay on the streets?"

Zell didn't wanna think about that possibility right now. He just wanted to think of the best possible outcome, and maybe they'd be true.

"Selphie, Zell! Come on you don't wanna be late!" Her mother called.

"We're coming!" Selphie shouted back then whispered. "Loser."

Zell laughed and pushed her in the shoulder. "Don't be bitter. You'll see, everything will work out ok."

"Yeeeah." She held out her bent arm. "Well scarecrow, to Oz?"

Zell smiled linking arms with her. "To Oz."

They laughed and headed out the house, receiving three dollars each from Selphie's mother along with a good luck. Zell walked outside rubbing his arms. It was freezing October, and he wished he'd had a jacket with him.

"Want me to get one of my dad's coats for you?" Selphie offered.

"No, thanks, I can take it." He lowered his hands from his person. "You just gotta get used to it." A gust of wind blew past and he shivered again. Selphie swung her arms around him, rubbing the bare arm closest to him with her hand.

"Thanks." He said. "I need my bookbag and stuff for school... Selphie can you?" He started and she held up a hand saying: "Say no more. I'm already there." The two of them crossed the lawn to Zell's house. It was quiet. Strangely quiet, because his parents didn't leave for work until nine o'clock.

"I wonder if they're still sleep?" He said more to himself than anyone else. Turning the knob he felt that it was locked. 'Where's the spare key?' He wondered feeling around above the porch light. 'There we are.' He slid it off into his hand and stuck it into the lock.

Zell didn't dare call for anyone just yet. He wanted to get in and get out as fast as he could. "I'll get your suitcase!" He heard his father calling, as he walked out of the downstairs bathroom. "I'm changing the locks the minute I get off of work, I'll send the new key by your office."

Zell backed out of the house, butting Selphie out before him.

"That dick." She said.

That was all Zell needed to hear from them. He really was kicked out of the house. 'How can they do this to me? I thought they loved me no matter what?' He thought.

"Zell are you gonna be..." But she was cut off.

"Not right now, Selphie. Let's just get to school, alright?" He moved from the door and walked the path to the sidewalk.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go in there and give him the ol' one two?" She struck a boxer's pose.

Zell shook his head. He doesn't his friend going toe to toe with his irate father, and his hyper histerical mother. "Let's just go to school, where everything is still normal."

It was going to be a long day.