As he spoke, the boy’s eyes grew wider and wider. “Um, my name’s Trevor. But…you’re really gay?”
“Last time I checked, yeah.” Adam chuckled, then turned serious. “And the department’s cool with it. So are my folks.” They started to walk down the block. “You have to find your people, and it’s not always going to be easy. You broke up with your boyfriend?”
The boy’s face crumpled at Adam’s words. “Yeah. He met someone else. I thought he was The One, you know?”
Adam’s chest tightened. “Yeah. I know. How old are you?”
“Sixteen.”
“That’s awfully early to find the person you’re gonna spend the rest of your life with.”
“He said he loved me.” The boy’s whisper tore at Adam’s heart.
“Did you sleep together? Have sex?”
His face flaming, Trevor nodded.
“You used protection, right?” Adam’s heart skipped a beat.
“Yeah. He used a condom. But, um…” Trevor, still flushed with embarrassment, stopped before they reached the corner, and Adam halted, waiting for him to continue. “It really hurt.” Adam had to strain to hear Trevor’s whisper. “Is it supposed to? When I asked Levi, my boyfriend, he said it would, but I don’t know.”
“Yeah. It does. It’s not like the Internet where everyone’s moanin’ and groanin’ and having a great time. It can hurt like a son of a bitch. You’ll need to prepare yourself; go slow. And if you get scared and don’t want to do it, don’t be afraid to say no.”
“Levi said if we loved each other, it’s the next step. I really didn’t want to, but he said if I loved him like I said I did, I would. But then I did it and he left me anyway.”
The kid should really talk to a counselor, but Adam couldn’t simply walk away and leave him. “Look, Trevor. Something you need to realize. Not every relationship is about sex. And you can have sex in many different ways; anal is only one of them. I had a boyfriend once and we never had sex that way. It didn’t happen, and neither of us pushed it.”
“Really?” Trevor’s eyes clouded with doubt.
“Yeah, really. If and when you’re ready to make that commitment again, it has to be because you’re ready and you want it. You shouldn’t do it only to please your partner.”
Trevor fingered the card Adam gave him, and Adam could almost hear the wheels turning in his head. “Thanks. I’ll think about it.” He glanced up at Adam from underneath his long, platinum bangs. “Thanks for everything. I gotta get home.”
“Take it easy, and text me if you want.”
“Sure.” Trevor sped off, and Adam doubted he’d ever hear from him again, but it felt good to have been able to talk to the kid and try to help him.
*
Back at thefirehouse with only a few minutes to spare, Adam headed to the bathroom. Happy to find it empty, he stood in front of the wall of sinks and mirrors, staring into space. It was true what he’d told Trevor. Sixteen was too young to think you’d spend the rest of your life with the person you thought you loved. But when that person was taken from you all too soon, you were left with nothing more than what-ifs and maybes.
“Hey, Red.”
Adam blinked, reorienting himself to the present to find Patrick standing in the doorway.
“Oh, hey. What’s up? I was, uh, just coming back out.”
“You might want to come to the break room.” A funny smile rested on Patrick’s lips. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“Why? And yeah, I am. I sat in the park for the most part and didn’t eat.”
They’d reached the break room when Adam heard the buzz of activity, and upon walking inside, he saw a huge platter of sandwiches on the table, along with baskets of fries and bowls of coleslaw and potato salad. A tray of cookies remained wrapped in plastic.
“This was sent over by that catering place; remember the fire at that Jewish temple a while ago? The one with the gay rabbi.”
“Uh, yeah.” Did he ever. It was the first time he saw Rico.
“Some kid delivered it a little while ago. Said his bosses wanted to thank us for everything we do for them.” Patrick gave him a slap on the back. “Let’s have at it before these other goons eat everything.”
