Open Hearts

Chapter 16 - Revelations and Recovery

PREVIOUSLY ON OPEN HEARTS:

Keaton deals with the aftermath of Ryan's assault; now it seems like everyone's eyes are on him. Bjorn does his best to be a good boyfriend and comfort Keaton during this trying time. Keaton finally learns the truth about David and his feelings for both Bjorn and him. Forgetting to tell his parents about his absence, he finds himself grounded from Bjorn for the night. This doesn't stop him however as he sneaks out late at night to see Bjorn anyways. With the next day looming, Keaton now has to prepare for school again; but will he go today? Knowing everyone's attention will be on him, has Keaton rattled to his core.

*****

OPEN HEARTS PART 16:

I woke up a few hours later with Bjorn drooling on my neck again. It was still dark out so I had time to get back home before my parents noticed I was gone. I gently pushed on his arm to try and wake him up but all I got in return was a grunt and more drooling. A more aggressive tactic might be the best option. I pushed a bit harder this time and tried to roll him off of me. Much to my surprise, he didn't wake up even after being rolled onto his back.

I crept out of the bed stealthily like a cat to avoid waking him. In all honesty, I doubt I could wake him up even if I wasn't being so quiet. I gathered my clothes and dressed in the dark, occasionally stumbling and nearly falling. Once I was ready, I kissed Bjorn's cheek and headed out the window I came in.

The sensation of the wet grass brushing against my ankles jolted my groggy mind to life. I looked around with a new sense of energy and liveliness. I was smiling uncontrollably.

The fresh and cool morning air filled my lungs with life and rejuvenated my body. My worries of being caught just melted away as I walked slowly through the yard. Something about this moment, walking away from Bjorn's in the dead of night, was almost unearthly calming.

I snuck back into my house without issue. The smile never faded as I walked up the stairs, into my room, and plopped onto my bed like a sack of potatoes. I dissolved into the fabric of my sheets and fell asleep with that same smile still plastered on my face.

I awoke to the annoying screech of my alarm. I had a decision to make, should I go to school or stay home?

I already knew the answer as soon as I woke up. I'm going to school today.

I wasn't going to let anyone ruin my day or my school year. Despite the possible whispers and glares of my classmates, today I'm going to school and I'm going to enjoy it.

I completed my daily ritual with vigor and determination. It felt like I was preparing for war as I dressed myself. My t-shirt was my combat vest, my Vans were my boots and my skinny jeans might as well have had a holster on them. I was determined to take on the day and not succumb to the pressures of middle school gossip.

I shot Bjorn a text to let him know of my decision to go. Much to my surprise, he didn't protest; at least not immediately.

He met me outside my home at our normal meeting time. My enthusiasm far surpassed his this morning. I could see the apprehension in his eyes. Nevertheless, he grabbed my bag and walked me to the bus-stop without muttering a single objection.

"How'd you sleep?" Bjorn murmured.

"Great! I hope I didn't wake you when I left this morning."

I knew I didn't wake him. Bjorn stayed true to his name and slept like a bear.

"Nah, didn't even know you left until I woke up this morning. Not going to lie, I was kind of upset when I opened my eyes and you weren't there." He said in a solemn tone.

"Really? Well, I'm here now." I said as I took his hand into mine and interlocked my fingers with his.

Bjorn smiled and looked away for a moment before returning his gaze to the ground in front of him.

"Yeah, you're right."

He lifted my hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it.

We spent the rest of our walk in relative silence. When we arrived at the bus stop, the first thing people saw was the smile on our faces.

Their initial reaction was one of concern. I can only assume they've all heard the news of yesterday's events and have been gossiping about it all morning. They looked at me with worrisome faces and cold eyes at first; but then I noticed a shift.

Their expressions all changed when they saw our smiles. The boy who was supposed to be broken and hurt, was smiling. Even if I was hurt, even if I was nervous, I wouldn't show it. Sure, yesterday was hell; but today I'm holding Bjorn's hand on my way to school. That simple fact was enough to make me smile.

Michael returned our smiles. He didn't have any reason to, but I guess it's just contagious.

We walked over to the transformer where we normally stand and leaned up against it. I could see the girls whispering as their eyes occasionally glanced at me. Their gazes felt like laser beams at first; but I soon forgot about them as I turned my attention to Bjorn and Michael.

"Hey Keaton... how's it going." Michael said meekly.

"Great, how about you?" I responded with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.

I don't think I gave him the response he expected. In all honesty, I was blatantly deflecting his question to avoid answering truthfully. Luckily, Michael picked up on this and avoided prying too much more.

"That's good to hear... I'm glad. Oh and yeah I'm doing good too." He said, his voice trailing off at the end.

We all made casual conversation while waiting for the bus. Bjorn talked about his favorite soccer teams, while Michael condescendingly talked down soccer in favor of American football. I did my best to defend soccer but Bjorn didn't seem phased by it. Michael talked about the physicality and athleticism required to play football; but Bjorn was the only one between the three of us that could easily be a star in either sport. I guess that's why Bjorn didn't argue with him about it; he knew Michael wasn't speaking from an athlete's perspective.

I'm glad Bjorn prefers soccer. American Football is a dangerous sport that can leave lasting negative impacts on players. I love watching the sport, but I wouldn't enjoy seeing Bjorn play it. Hopefully he'll choose to play soccer in high school if he plays any sport at all.

"Well I'm sure you'll be trying out for the team then, since it's so easy." Bjorn said with a smirk.

"Nah, got better things to do. I'll cheer you on from the stands though. And I'm sure Keaton will too." Michael responded with a snicker.

I was confused as to what they were talking about and I think it showed on my face because Bjorn quickly explained.

"We're talking about the soccer team at school." He said in an attempt to bring me up to speed.

"Our middle school has a soccer team?"

"Yeah, of course they do." Michael retorted.

"And a tennis team. And baseball too. Oh and basketball. I think swimming too." Michael ranted.

"Really? My old school didn't have any sports teams, you just had P.E. and that was it." I said matter-of-factly.

"Well this is kind of a rich school, surrounded by other rich schools. So I guess they can afford to have middle school sports here." Bjorn chimed in.

"Oh... well maybe I should play soccer too. Or maybe even join the swim team!" I exclaimed.

"You'd look great in those Speedo's." Bjorn cheekily responded.

Both of our eyes grew wide as we both processed what he just said. We both turned to Michael who had his head down and slowly shook it in disagreement.

"Come on guys, keep it 'P.G.' in front of me." He mumbled as he blushed and smiled at the ground.

Bjorn chuckled at his reaction but quickly reverted back to seriousness when I shot him a death stare. He mouthed the word "sorry" to me. I could only roll my eyes in response and let it go.

When the bus finally arrived, we all shuffled to get on-board like usual. Suddenly I felt Bjorn lean in close to my ear and quietly whisper.

"Seriously though, you'd be hot in that Speedo." He said.

I rolled my eyes again, but this time I smiled and offered a response.

"You wear your soccer kit, I'll wear my Speedo, and we can have some locker room type fun at home." I whispered back.

I know it must have sounded really cheesy but Bjorn must have loved the thought of it; because the only response he gave was a slight whimper and an audible gulp.

I giggled and boarded the bus with the same optimism that I had carried with me all morning. That optimism wavered a bit when I stepped into the middle aisle and the beady-eyes of a few dozen kids were all pointed in my direction. I hesitated for a moment as I scanned the crowd and observed them. I only remembered how to walk when I felt Bjorn's hand lightly press against my back.

I took a step, and then another step. Slowly but surely, I made my way towards the back of the bus. I couldn't decide if I should meet their gazes head on or avoid them entirely. Just then, I remembered the reason I came to school today; I remembered why I was so determined to be here and overcome my fears.

I'm not a crybaby, I am not weak, and I will not let other people decide how I should be feeling.

I decided to meet their stares... with a smile.

I must have looked pretty goofy, smiling at everyone I passed as I walked down the aisles. I didn't care though, if they're going to remember me for anything, let them remember me for my smile.

When I finally took my seat I breathed a long sigh of relief. Bjorn sat next to me and placed his hand on my knee. He rubbed his palm lightly against the fabric of my jeans in a small circle.

"How are you doing?" He asked quietly and sincerely.

I didn't need to deflect his question or pretend that everything was perfect around Bjorn; I could be honest with him.

"I'm okay... nervous... kind of sweaty... but okay." I stammered nervously.

He smiled and nestled his head into my neck.

"You're doing great min kjaere." He said softly.

I like Bjorn's English; it's refined and proper but he still uses some slang from time to time. On top of that, his accent sounds like music to my ears. However, when he does occasionally speak in Norwegian, it makes me melt. Terms of endearment seem to mean so much more when they're spoken so only you understand them. Everytime he teaches me new words or speaks directly to me in Norwegian, he shares a part of his language, his culture, and a part of himself with me.

I grabbed his hand and rested my head against his; we stayed like that for the entire ride there. Occasionally, you'd hear some snickering or "ooh's and aww's" from the girls across from us.

 

-

 

Walking down the halls of the school, I felt the sting of even more eyes hitting me. Everywhere I turned, a pair of eyes were on me. People would stop and stare and even point me out to their friends before whispering more gossip. I started to feel lost in the hallways. I wanted to run to the nearest bathroom and throw up but I didn't even know where I was.

I felt Bjorn's hand grab my arm and pull me aside. He looked into my eyes with worry as he held me in place. I swayed a bit even with him holding me; I felt even sicker.

"Hva er galt?" (What's wrong?) he asked.

"Huh? N-nothing... I... I just need to use the bathroom." I stammered out.

I wanted to walk towards the bathroom but I felt so confused I couldn't even move my feet.

Bjorn pulled me along to the nearest bathroom and took me inside. He checked each stall to make sure we were alone and then locked the bathroom door.

"I don't think you're supposed to do that." I said almost incoherently before running to the stall and dropping to my knees.

I spent the next few minutes blowing chunks into the toilet while Bjorn rubbed my back. When I lifted my head from the bowl, I was overcome with the smells of vomit and ammonia. Additionally, my forehead was covered in a cold sweat and I still felt dizzy.

Bjorn was quiet, his hands were gentle as he lifted me off of the floor and sat me on the toilet seat.

"Keaton, baby, when's the last time you ate?" He asked calmly.

"Yesterday... at lunch." I mumbled with a slight slur and a heave at the end.

"No dinner last night?"

"No."

Bjorn sighed deeply as he racked his brain for solutions.

"Do you need to throw up again?"

"No." I grumbled.

"Well, I can carry you to the nurse's office-"

"No!" I interjected suddenly.

"I don't want to go to the nurse. I want to go to class." I stated bluntly.

"Keaton... no... just no. You're too sick and you haven't eaten anything in awhile." He argued.

While my empty stomach certainly didn't help, I knew it wasn't the only reason I was throwing up.

"I'm better now! Lunch won't be too long from now, just let me go to class!"

Bjorn sighed again and shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

"Fine... but I'm buying your lunch AND I'm going to watch you eat dinner tonight, every last bite. Deal?"

I nodded my head in approval and pulled myself up off the toilet. While trying to catch my bearings, I took a moment to observe the bathroom we were in. It wasn't the same bathroom from yesterday, but it felt the same. I felt trapped, almost as if I was being smothered and suffocated. The walls were starting to close in on me and my feet refused to move. When the 1st period bell rang, I nearly jumped out of my skin and fell into Bjorn's arms. I looked up into eyes with the same worry and fear that he looked into mine with. I wasn't sure what I could say or do to explain my behavior. Luckily, he didn't ask for an explanation.

"Let's go to the nurse, just for a period or two. After that we can eat lunch together and then you can go to the rest of your classes if you feel up to it."

Bjorn was dragging me along before I even gave my answer. It was clear I didn't have much say in it.

I thought today was going to be easy. I thought all I had to do was ignore the whispers and gossip and I'd be fine. It wasn't easy.

When we got to the nurse's office, I let Bjorn do most of the talking and explain our "situation."

He did his best to explain that I was sick, but not too sick to stay in school, but sick enough to stay here for a few periods. The nurse, who definitely remembered me from yesterday, took one look at me and didn't ask anymore questions. She did object to Bjorn staying with me though. No matter how much he protested, she wouldn't budge. She forced him to go to class and told him to come back at lunchtime to see if I was better. He reluctantly agreed.

Two hours later and it was time for lunch. I spent the past 180 minutes staring at a wall and feeling sorry for myself. As always, Bjorn was quite the sight for sore eyes. Even in my state of grumpiness, I couldn't help but smile when he came to greet me.

Bjorn was grinning from ear to ear when he saw me. At first I felt suspicious because he looked too happy just to be seeing me. But there was nothing worth being paranoid about, he was just happy.

Lunch was great. Like fucking awesome actually. It was nacho day and Bjorn bought my food for me. On top of that, he gave me half of his food as well. I scarfed down the plates of chips, cheese, and ground beef like a wild animal. A few of the boys around us, including Bjorn, giggled as I stuffed my face with the overly processed and under-seasoned school food. Today, this food tasted like it was made by the gods. I didn't realise how hungry I was until now. Even my serving, plus Bjorn's half serving, wasn't enough to fill my stomach. I complained about my insatiable hunger to Bjorn and he agreed to make me another lunch after school.

"So Keaton, did you hear what happened to Ryan?" Julio said suddenly.

The table grew quiet at the mention of Ryan's name. Julio immediately caught the cold stare from Bjorn.

"Oh yeah, my bad. Nevermind I shouldn't have-"

"What happened?" I interjected bluntly.

"Oh, nothing much I guess. I just heard they suspended him for now but they'll probably end up expelling him. I also heard he might get arrested too." Julio said with pride.

I looked down at my empty plate and grabbed my fork to fidget with. I didn't really know what to think or say.

"Cool." I muttered emotionlessly.

There was another awkward silence at the table after my response. Eventually, the bell rang and Bjorn walked me to my next class.

I spent the rest of my school day just avoiding conversation and waiting for the hours to pass. When I got to science class, David was already there. He looked surprised to see me. I guess he didn't expect me to be back so soon.

"How ya feeling?" David asked as I took my seat.

"Great... I guess."

"Cool."

It wasn't much of a conversation but considering we hated each other two days ago, it was a good start.

A few of David's friends started to mutter amongst themselves. They were looking back at me from a few rows up; surprisingly, their attention wasn't only on me though. They glanced over at David from time to time too. They would whisper then stare; then whisper again. I was a bit perplexed by their attention to David. I shot him a quick look to see if he gave off any reaction but he wasn't paying attention. I wonder what they could be saying that included the both of us. Unless it's the obvious of course. They're probably just telling the story of how David came in to save the day; and how I was the damsel in distress that needed to be untied from the railroad tracks. I am still grateful that David showed up, but I can't say it doesn't sting to feel so incapable.

Just then, it hit me. The most obvious solution to my problem just came to me. I don't ever want to be in that position again; so starting today, I'm going to tackle my biggest fear of all.

When the final bell rang I practically ran out the door. I was so excited to tell Bjorn of my epiphany that I almost didn't see him passing me in the hall.

"Babe, guess what!" I exclaimed eagerly.

"What?"

"I've got a plan!"

"Okay... what's the plan?" Bjorn asked with frustration looming in his voice.

"I know how I'm going to feel better about all this. I know what I need to do to feel safer. I'm going to join a gym! Then I can workout constantly and get all big and strong like you-"

"Keaton... that's kind of silly." Bjorn interrupted.

It felt like a rain cloud just opened above my head and started storming. Still, I was determined to make my point.

"No it's not. If I got bigger and stronger then I could defend myself. People like Ryan won't look at me like I'm an easy target. I'll be able to go to the bathroom and not be afraid of who walks in after me! What's silly about that?"

Bjorn seemed a bit taken back by my sudden ranting. His eyes darted to the floor and lips pursed up for a moment while he was searching for a response.

"Well... It's just not that simple." He muttered.

"How!? How is it not that simple!?" I fired back defensively.

"Well, for starters, it takes a lot of time and effort to get bigger and stronger; and even if you did, that doesn't mean you'll be able to defend yourself. There will always be someone who is older, bigger, and stronger than you. Also, I think you look perfect the way you are; I can't imagine you differently." Bjorn answered calmly.

It felt like my parade had not only been rained on, but also a tornado came through and destroyed everything in sight.

I was so excited to tell Bjorn of my plan; I even though he'd be proud of me. Now, I regret ever telling him.

"Whatever." I spat back as I pushed past him and headed for the bus.

Bjorn didn't understand how I felt. All he wants is for me to stay the weak and fragile one, that way he can always be the big strong hero. Well I'm not going to let anyone stop me from feeling safe again.

The whole time I was walking to the bus, I could hear Bjorn behind me, begging for me to listen.

"I'm sorry."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Why won't you listen to me!"

"If you really want to go then let's go."

"I'll go with you every day if you want."

"Please listen to me."

"You're so stubborn!"

At this point his ranting had become quite amusing, but I was still angry at him. I gave him the silent treatment the entire time until we made it to our seats.

Unfortunately, he had me cornered now and it was hard to ignore him.

"Okay Keaton, what do I have to do to get you to talk to me again?" Bjorn stated out of frustration.

I took a deep breath and hesitated for a moment before answering.

"I don't think you understand how I feel. You acted like a jerk back there and I'm not ready to talk to you just yet. Maybe later." I answered coldly.

"Oh come on babe, it's not that big of a deal." Bjorn responded as his hand moved to my inner thigh.

I looked over at Bjorn and stared him down with daggers in my eyes. Without saying a word, he quickly retracted his hand and averted his eyes from mine.

"Sorry, I'll be quiet now." He quickly voiced in a nervous tone.

I looked back out the window and rode the rest of the way in complete silence. Bjorn knew he messed up, but he wasn't sure how to fix it without digging himself in a deeper hole. At this point, I still wasn't in the mood to forgive him so I think I'll just let him bury himself.

I walked home with Bjorn trailing in my footsteps. He was following me like a lost puppy. I continued to ignore him until I reached my front door and noticed him still behind me.

"Hey Keaton, can I come inside?"

"No."

"Pleeaassee" Bjorn whined.

I stared him down for a brief moment before giving in to the pressure. With a turn of my key and the sound of the locking mechanism clicking, I was now inside my home with Bjorn in tow.

"I'm going to take a shower." I announced as I headed up the stairs.

"Can I join you?"

"No!" I shouted as I closed my bedroom door behind me.

I let Bjorn into my house, but I'm not letting him off the hook so easily.

Today took a lot out of me. It was hard to stand up without bracing myself against the shower wall. Still, the warm water running down my body put me at ease.

When the water stopped flowing and the steam cleared, I looked into the mirror and took note of my current state.

I was thin, sure, but I was toned too. I didn't have a lot of muscle, but I had little body fat as well. No, I'm not the most impressive specimen on earth; but I'm in great shape. Maybe Bjorn is right... No, I can't give up already. If Bjorn loves me like he says he does, then he'll still love me even if I get bigger.

I left the bathroom and entered my room in search of clothes. After dropping my towel to the floor I started to rummage through my drawer for underwear. I heard a faint knock on the door and it startled me slightly because I was still naked. Luckily, it wasn't my mother. Bjorn's voice weakly called out from the other side.

"Hey Keaton, can I come in? Just for a second, I promise."

I calmly granted him permission to enter but I kept my back to him as I continued my search for underwear. I expected to hear a cheeky comment from him since he could clearly see my naked rear-end. Surprisingly though, no such comment came. He remained quiet until I was semi-dressed and turned around to greet him.

Bjorn stood at the opposite end of the bedroom with a cup of coffee in his hands and a very innocent look on his face.

"I made you some coffee. I'm still going to make you lunch too, I just wanted to bring this to you now."

Normally, Bjorn always wears a smile; especially if he's doing something nice for me. However, his expression was more somber than anything else. The coffee was more of an apology, not just a kind gesture. Despite my earlier frustrations, my heart isn't made of stone. There is no way I can ignore him this time.

I walked up to him and slowly took the mug in my hands so that we were both holding it. Before taking it from him, I leaned forward on my tip-toes and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you. Sorry for being a... I dunno... jerk I guess." I said hesitantly.

"No, you're not. I was in the wrong Keaton. I'm sorry for not supporting you. I still have my doubts but..."

"That's okay." I interjected.

"It's okay if you don't like it. I'm still going to do it, but you don't have to pretend to be excited about it." I said confidently.

Bjorn scratched the back of his head and snickered nervously.

"Yeah, I guess that's fair. And if you... I mean WHEN you go, I'll be happy to go along and spot you." Bjorn added after finally gracing me with his smile.

"Sounds great babe, but what does 'spot' mean?" I asked sarcastically just to annoy him.

He rolled his eyes and acted as if he would lunge and grab me; but he decided otherwise when he noticed the coffee still in my hand. I decided to throw him a bone; and in a way I guess he'd be throwing a bone my way too.

I took one big sip of my coffee and set the mug down on my entertainment center.

"I'll tell you what, since you were nice enough to apologize and bring me coffee, I'll make you a deal. If you can pin me down, AND get my underwear off in under a minute, you can do whatever you want to me." I said with a naughty smirk and giggle.

Bjorn lunged at me before I could even get another word out. I knew I was going to fail but in the end, I'd win either way.

Bjorn tripped me up and had me on the floor. He immediately started reaching for my undies but that gave me a chance to slip out of his grasp and scramble to my feet. We were both laughing uncontrollably as he struggled to catch me. To avoid his next tackle I jumped on my bed and attempted to crawl over it to the other side. Unfortunately, he caught my ankle and pulled me back so I was now sprawled out on my stomach, on the bed.

I tried to wiggle away but soon the weight of his entire body was on top of me. He pressed his chest against my back and whispered into my ear.

"Gotcha."

He used both of his hands to grab my wrists and hold them above my head. I was completely restrained by him.

"Yeah, I guess you do. But how will you get my undies off huh?" I giggled back as I wiggled my hips into his crotch.

The wiggling and the excitement of our little grappling session had definitely left him feeling a bit "excited."

In fact, I could feel his "excitement" poking my butt.

Without any free hands left, Bjorn had to figure out a way to remove my underwear. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure what solution he came up with.

I could feel him shifting a bit, then grinding his body against me. He started to grind even harder but slower with each passing moment. At first I had no clue what he was trying to do. That was until I felt his boner catch against my waistband and start to pull them down.

I was stunned and amazed at his plan to undress me. I knew it would be challenging and also take longer than the allotted minute; but I was so turned on, I decided to help him out.

I lifted my butt slightly off the bed and forgot about the time limit entirely. This suddenly became a team effort.

Sure enough, Bjorn's "excitement" was enough to get my undies halfway down my hips. I was swaying my hips back and forth more aggressively now. It wasn't to help him out, I was just so turned on that I couldn't help it.

The more he grinded, the heavier his breathing got. Just as my butt was almost fully exposed, he grunted loudly and started to moan into my neck. His grinding slowed to a complete halt and his breathing was returning to normal.

"I... I'm sorry Keaton. I couldn't hold it any longer." He breathed softly into my ear.

He sounded a bit embarrassed at his premature "release" but I couldn't help but feel even hornier than ever.

"Can you keep going? Please?" I begged.

"But I... I just..."

"I know. Use it to make it slicker."

"You want me to use my cum as lube?"

"Yes! Please god yes!" I shouted out of pure sexual angst.

I couldn't believe what I was saying to him but I was already face down and naked with my butt in the air; no reason to be ashamed now.

I started to grind my now exposed butt into his crotch. He didn't need to respond with words because I got my answer when I heard his zipper come down.

When he lowered his waistband, his new hard-on sprung out and slapped my cheek hard. Because he came in his briefs and skinny jeans the first time, his member was covered in his juices already. His stamina was incredible; he's already hard and ready to go just seconds after getting off.

He lined himself up and started to guide the tip towards my entrance. His hands released my wrists and moved to my fingers instead. We interlocked fingers and I felt his hot breath and lips against my neck.

I only cried a little bit when it started to slide in. I know it's going to feel terrible afterwards, but right now my body is so hot, I can't resist. Bjorn never got any protests or objections from me. Soon I was moaning his name into the sheets and moving my body in sync with his. It didn't hurt as bad as the first time, but next time we should definitely prepare a little bit more. I'm the one to blame this time though so I can't hold it against him. Unfortunately for me, since Bjorn had just came not even a minute ago, he wasn't as sensitive as the first time around. This meant that he was going to last a lot longer than usual.

After 30 minutes I had to force him to stop. I wasn't even sure I could walk anymore and he was still ready to go.

"I'm sorry babe, we just need to stop. But if you go wash it real good, I'll finish you off."

Bjorn did as I requested and went to wash himself off. The cold water made him soften up a bit but it didn't take long for my mouth to get him back in the game.

Our entire ordeal lasted about an hour and ended with Bjorn "accidentally" covering my face and hair with his semen.

"Sorry you couldn't finish inside me babe." I shouted from the shower as he sat on the counter 10 feet away.

"It's fine babe. I knew it wasn't a great idea. You should have said something if you weren't feeling comfortable. But... all things considered..."

He suddenly opened the shower door and looked me dead in the eyes.

"That was by far the hottest thing you've ever done. Bad idea or not, that was fucking awesome." He said with a look of dead seriousness on his face.

I giggled at his response and tone of voice.

"Yeah, you were pretty hot yourself. When you started to grind my underwear off of me, I thought I was going to melt." I giggled but then looked down at my own stiffening boner.

"Hey babe?"

"Say no more." Bjorn said as he stripped his clothes and entered the shower.

Not a moment later he was on his knees and my fingers were running through his wet blonde hair. I practically screamed his name until he had completely milked me dry.

 

-

 

When my mom came home about a half hour later, she was greeted by the sight of me and Bjorn snuggled on the couch. Two blankets, five pillows, a box of cookies and Netflix completed our entire setup. Only our faces were visible under the mess of blankets and pillows; which was a good thing since Bjorn's hand was resting on my butt and I didn't want her to see that.

"Hi boys, you two look comfortable. How was school today?"

Before I could answer my mom added another question.

"Keaty, how are you doing today?" She asked more sincerely.

"Good. Bjorn kept me from falling apart today." I called back to her while she rummaged through the kitchen.

"Well thank you Bjorn for keeping my son from falling apart. We're both lucky to have you here."

"No problem Mrs. A. I'm sorry if I'm not supposed to be here today; I can go home if you-"

"No you're fine Bjorn; Forget about yesterday. You two just enjoy your little date." My mom said in a slightly condescending voice.

"It's not a date mom, we're just hanging out." I retorted.

"Call it whatever you want, you two are still so cute." She cooed.

I rolled my eyes out of embarrassment and glanced at Bjorn. He smiled and kissed my nose.

"It's totally a date." He whispered.

"You bet it is." I whispered back.

My mom took a seat in the recliner next to us and we continued our binge watching session.

Under the cover of our blankets, I could feel Bjorn's fingers slowly tracing up and down my arm. I slowly shifted my foot and lightly brushed it against his. It kind of became a game of sorts. Ten toes brushing against ten others, fingers lightly touching and interlocking occasionally, constant eye contact and uncontrollable smirks; it was our game. There wasn't anything sexual, but it was undeniably sensual. I didn't want it to end.

"Bjorn will you be staying for dinner?"

My mother's sudden interruption startled us both and ruined our little game.

"Huh? Oh... uhh yes ma'am. If that's okay of course." He replied somewhat nervously.

I giggled a bit and poked his chest lightly. He rolled his eyes and poked me back.

"Yeah it's no problem. I'm going to go start dinner; you two boys try to keep it in your pants while I'm gone." She shouted as she left the room.

"Mom! We're just watching TV! Why do you always have to be so embarrassing."

"Oh please Keaty; If you had been a girl instead, you'd be pregnant by now."

"MOM!"

Bjorn started laughing wildly at my expense before kissing my cheek.

"Chill out baby, you know it's true." He whispered with a naughty smirk.

"Don't encourage her." I whispered through gritted teeth.

A few minutes later my dad walked through the front door and greeted both me and Bjorn by ruffling our hair.

"Boys, I had a talk with Bjorn's father outside." My father announced as he kissed my mother hello.

Me and Bjorn were both intrigued to hear that. I wonder what our dads could have been talking about.

"He mentioned some things about you two, Christmas, and Norway too."

"Oh no." I groaned internally.

I wasn't ready to tell my parents about that yet. I had no idea how I was going to coax them into letting me go.

"He said that you two were conspiring to get Keaton to come with you on your trip to Norway."

Me and Bjorn looked at each other with total defeat on our faces. Sigve had ratted us out and killed my chances of going to Norway.

"He also said that he thinks it's a great idea."

Our expressions went from defeat to astonishment.

"Really!?" Me and Bjorn shouted in unison.

"So what do you think dad!?" I quickly added.

"Well... I'm not sure yet." My dad quickly glanced over at my mother, who looked less than impressed.

"I think me and your mother will have to discuss it a bit. Don't get your hopes up though, I'm not really in favor of letting you go to the other side of the world; especially without your mother and I with you." He said firmly.

"But I'll be with-"

"I know Keaton. But I'm still not ready to just let you go like that. Not to mention that it will be during Christmas too." He said as he cut me off.

"We'll talk about it later son. For now, I need to ask something of you. There's a few things around the house you need to do. We've been pretty lax with you not doing chores so far, but we've lived here for a little while now and I think it's time you pitched in."

I wanted to groan and protest his orders but I can't afford to make him mad. This could all be a test. He might just be making me work so that I can go to Norway. I've got to agree with him and do whatever he asks if I want to have any hopes of going.

"Okay, like what?" I asked with a little bit of annoyance in my voice.

"Well for starters, the lawn needs to be mowed. After that, you can clean the pool too. When those are done I'll let you know what else needs to be done."

I didn't like the sound of this chore list already.

"Do I have to do it tonight?" I whined.

"No it doesn't. You can do it tomorrow after school." He quickly added.

"Yes sir." I groaned.

I was a bit deflated after that whole conversation but that small glimmer of hope that he'll let me go kept me semi-enthusiastic.

We all took a seat around the table as we ate dinner. Tonight we were having bratwursts on a bun with peppers and onions, and onion rings on the side.

Bjorn took the opportunity to bring up Norway. I guess he thought if he keeps dropping hints it'll increase our chances.

"My family back in Norway is really nice. My dad had a lot of siblings growing up; six brothers and one sister. Almost all of them had kids too so I have a lot of cousins. Everyone is so much nicer there, not that Americans aren't nice but-"

"We understand Bjorn. So do you miss your family a lot?" My mom interjected.

"Yeah, kind of. I like it here, especially now that I've met Keaton; but I do miss a lot of my friends and cousins. I really want to introduce them all to Keaton, I hope I get the chance." Bjorn stated almost dramatically as his voice trailed off in the end.

I could see a small smile creep out from my mother's lips. I think they were able to see through the dramatics.

"We'll I'm sure one day you'll be able too." My mom responded calmly.

It was a political answer. She said "one day" specifically; she didn't say soon.

After dinner was done I said bye to Bjorn as he left for his own home. I went upstairs for a few minutes to grab my binder for school but I stopped right in my tracks on my way back down the stairs. My parents were talking in the living room and I distinctly heard them say my name. I sat down on the stairs and listened to them debate the topic of me going to Norway. I was hidden from them by a wall but I could still hear most of their conversation clearly.

"I don't like it." My mom said plainly.

"I don't want to be the bad parent here, but do you really feel okay with letting him go? I mean we barely know his dad, him and Bjorn just met not too long ago, and it's overseas!" She ranted.

"I know, I know. I don't want to let him go either, but you know how much it will kill him if we don't." My father responded in a hushed voice.

"I'm sure he'll be just devastated, but we're his parents; it's our job to say no even when it means it'll upset him." She responded.

"I know. But I also think he'll be miserable here with us. I can't take off work and we have no family here in California. It would be just us three on Christmas day this year. If we make him stay, not only will he hate us, but he'll also be alone here until school starts again. Do you really want to see him stuck in the house with just us all Christmas break? He'll probably still be pouting when we open presents and spend all day texting Bjorn."

There was a long pause between them; I can only assume my mom was contemplating his words.

"I don't like the idea of him being so far away with people we barely know either. But if we say no, we'll be ripping him from his only friend here, and keeping him prisoner in a new home that he's just starting to get comfortable in. He's a good kid, and we have plenty of time until then to get to know Sigve better. And with all the crap that happened the other day... he could use some good news." My dad said solemnly.

"Well... I guess you're right. And if I were in his shoes, I'd be dying to go too. I guess we don't have any reason not to trust him. I'll talk to Sigve, figure all of this out and then we can mention it to Keaton." My mom responded.

I probably should have crept my way up the stairs quietly and pretend to have not heard anything. I couldn't help it though; I was so happy I had tears forming in my eyes. I jumped up, bounded down the last few steps and sprinted into my father's arms. I wrapped my arms around him in a tight embrace and cried softly into his shirt.

"Thank you! Thank you guys so much!" I said in between sobs of pure joy.

I think they were probably upset with my obvious eavesdropping but they seemed to let it go after seeing how happy I was.

"Alright, alright, but don't think you still don't have to earn it. On top of those chores you'll be doing, I expect you to make all A's in school too." My dad said as he rubbed my back.

"Yes I will! I promise!" I cried out joyously.

I'd do anything if it meant I could go.

"Me and your father will discuss it with Sigve more, but if you keep behaving... then I guess we'll have to buy you some winter clothes." My mom added.

I was overjoyed and overcome with emotions. I practically snotted all over my dad's shirt.

"I promise I'll be good and do everything you ask! I can't wait!" I shouted.

I let go of my dad and ran back up the stairs with a huge grin on my face. I couldn't wait to tell Bjorn the great news!

*****

That's the end of Open Hearts Part 16. I'm glad to be back and writing again. I hope you guys are still enjoying my story and now more than ever I encourage you to email me. I will be responding to ALL emails from now on, unless you specifically say that you don't want a reply. My email is openhearts1999@gmail.com so please let me know what you guys think. Thank you all and I'll see you next time on Open Hearts Part 17.