Mi Familia

Diante' had made it to class, not waiting for his two friends. The teacher yelled at him as he ran in. The eyes from other students followed him as he took his seat.

"Sorry...I'm late."

The instructor shook his head. "Just get to the page, please. Where are your sidekicks?"

Diante' squirmed in his chair while getting his book out. His classmates were still staring. "Um, I guess they're comin'." He slumped down at his desk, abhorring the fact that the teacher was singling him out. Diante' told Jared and Vince about Mr. Winkledorf and his attitude towards tardiness. At the moment, he wished he weren't there to feel the wrath.

*****

Back outside, Jared and Vince were talking, enjoying a smoke. They both figured since they were already a half an hour late for Winkledorf's class, they wouldn't bother. Besides, Jared had some prime weed that he wanted to share with his good buddy and he wanted to make a plan to jump Diante's father.

He took a toke from the joint before passing it to Vince. "Hey man," he cleared his thought. "I meant what I said about gettin' that fuck. I'm tired of seeing Diante' get his ass whooped."

Vince stared at him as he smoked it. "I hear ya, dude but Diante' may never forgive us for doin' somethin', you know? He always claims he can handle it."

Jared shook his head, placing his foot up on the bench. "His faggot ass cannot handle it, Vince. Diante' is too much of a wuss to stand up to the man. Not only that, his old lady ain't no help."

"Well, what do you expect? She's too small to do anything about that big son of a bitch."

"She needs to get herself and Diante' away from that mother fucker. That's how you solve that." Jared was ready to roll another joint as he noticed Vince taking more than a couple smokes. "Hey dude, why don't we just skip it today, huh? I'm not feelin' school right now. We could go back to my place, have some drinks, play some games."

Vince chuckled, "Sounds good but, Diante' won't like it if we leave him behind, man."

Jared laughed. "We need to go get his ass. I wish he would've taken that pager I was tryin' to give him. He claimed he'd draw too much attention to himself."

"Well duh! Diante' does stay around a bunch of bangers and drug dealers. They'd think he was tryin' to rival them or somethin'."

Jared rolled his eyes. "He could stuff the fuckin' thing in his bookbag. I told him it would be only for emergencies. I could've ran over to the nearest payphone and called him."

Vince nodded. "He'll be out of dorkman's class soon. We need to just sit tight. Then, we could run in and get him before his stupid chemistry class."

Jared agreed. "Sounds like a plan. I got some rum and gin at the crib, dude. We could get lit both ways, man. I told you fucks, if you'd just go get jobs we could find a place together."

"I know, I just don't wanna work, you know? I'm too lazy. I like being takin' care of."

"And in the meantime, you gotta deal with your folks. Don't they get on your nerves?"

Vince sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "Yeah, they do but..."

Jared shook his head, chuckling. He looked at his wristwatch. "You'd rather deal than get some pissy little job just so you could pay rent."

"Yeah, well...um..." he hesitated. "Naw...hell, you know what? Maybe I'll take you up on that, dude. I'm really tired of that old cuntwhore tryin' to be my momma."

Jared smiled. "Yep, you come to live with me, won't be no rules, dude, except that you got your rent when it's time to pay. We could find some hole in the wall, easy. Maybe we can get by with two bedrooms since three might be too expensive. If Diante' comes in on it we can."

As Jared was talking, the bell sounded, meaning that Diante' should be out of class. The two of them pinched the ends of their joints, putting them out of sight. They started running towards the building looking for Diante' to grab him before the next bell.

Jared spotted Diante' coming out the side door with his bag on his shoulder. "Hey dude." He called out to his friend. Both the young men ran over to him.

*****

Diante' wrinkled up his lips. He knew seeing his two friends they were most likely up to something. "What's up? Why didn't you..." He stopped short, turning his head. "What the hell, man. You two got high this fuckin' early?" He pinched his nose, starting to cough.

"Yep. Dude, we're not feelin' class today. Why don't we head back to my place, huh?"

Diante' cocked an eyebrow. He recalled what he'd said earlier about not wanting to go in. Winkledorf had already made him feel bad about being late. "Um, damn..." he smiled. "Well...aw fuck it. I'm in. I don't feel like it either."

"That's the spirit, dude. Let's go before one of the teachers spots us." Jared slapped hands with both of them before they started taking off in the opposite direction.

Diante' was behind Jared and Vince following them off school grounds. This wasn't something he normally did but he really didn't feel like being at school anyway. Besides, he was passing with straight A's and B's despite the fact he was getting beat senseless by his dad and all the commotion in his house. Right now, Diante' desired the companionship of his friends. He had something he wanted to ask them about, more like a couple of things and since he had no one else to talk to about these things, Jared and Vince would be the ones to hear what he had to say.

* * * * *

As they were walking towards Jared's place, Vince was listening to his small radio. While bopping his head through the music, he thought about the things his good friend Jared was telling him; the apartment, the fact they needed to beatdown Diante's father, and the word that Jared called their buddy. A faggot.

Did he mean it?

Vince knew it was most likely a name he wanted to call Diante' because he was speaking of his fear of standing up to his dad. Or was it what Vince had always wondered. That Diante' really was gay?

Earlier, when they waited for Jared, he mentioned about how Diante' liked wearing a certain kind of underwear. Not to mention, he dressed so neat all the time. Didn't like gym or sports, wore his hair insanely long. He fit the bill.

Vince thought of all the times he and Diante' had conversations without Jared around. Diante' didn't feel comfortable around Jared sometimes, so when Diante' had issues, he would go to Vince first, and vice versa. They'd spoken about Diante' being shy, not really wanting to go out with girls. Diante' hadn't come out and said that he was gay, but Vince was pretty convinced that Diante' was just that. He wasn't bothered by it, what disturbed him was Diante's unwillingness to let his friends know, especially since, Vince himself had the same curiosities.

There were many times that Vince wanted to sit Diante' down and just ask him about it but he was too afraid.

What if I'm offbase?

Vince really didn't think he was but, but he knew it was a small chance he could be. He knew better than to assume anything. He'd been burned by that before, and he wasn't willing to be burned again.

As they crossed the street, Jared smacked Vince on the arm. "Hey man, why you so damn, quiet? What's going on in that head of yours?"

Vince drew up his lips, turning off the radio. "Nothin..."

Diante' smiled. "You're thinking of that girl you got a crush on don't you?"

Vince took a cigarette out of his pocket, lighting it immediately. "Wish it we're that easy, D'. Really wish it was that simple."

Chapter Three

These days, the small family of three men enjoyed the luxuries of life. Vince was a personal trainer at a gay men's gym that he co-owned with Jared. Jared was a successful gay actor in a hit television series, and Diante' ran a gay children's center in the heart of Los Angeles called, Reach for the Rainbows.

With the help of his two husbands and his good friend, Dolby McCade, they opened a place for young teenagers who were unsure of their orientation, as well as those who identified themselves as homosexual or lesbian. The center was due to expand to Chicago and New York in the next two years. They'd received donations from some of the biggest stars as well as government funding. This was Diante's dream and ambition. He was very glad that his friends, who eventually became part of his family, helped him through it.

However, it wasn't an easy task. With all they went through to get where they were today, other groups of friends may have broken it off but, the three of them were determined to make it work. It was a testament to them that they were that successful. The trials and tribulations drew them closer and made them a family.

* * * * *

"Haha!" Jared laughed, looking at the screen, playing the latest game he'd gotten from one of his older girlfriends. "Damn, you see that shit?" He drank a sip from his beer can.

Vince laughed, "Yeah, I saw it. Hey man, I'm tired of playin' this. Where's Diante'?"

"He's in the bedroom, most likely jaggin' off," he chuckled.

Vince looked at Jared, cocking an eyebrow. "What? Dude what are you talkin' about?"

"Dude, I know for a fact Diante' like's to choke his chicken a little more than you and me. I caught him one time, man. Truthfully, I think he likes cock a little more than pussy." Jared laughed, finishing his brew. "You want another, dude?"

Vince frowned. "What's wrong it if he did, Jared? You see a problem with being a fag?"

"Hell naw, Vince. Don't get on the defensive, okay? I love that little cocksucker like a brother. I just wish the little bitch would come clean."

Vince straightened up his face. "You're convinced he's a fag?"

"Thoroughly, dude. I got no problem with it. I'm not into it but hey, to each his damn own, ya' know?"

Vince watched Jared walk away, shaking his head. He was glad that he didn't have to say anything to defend his good friend, Diante. All three of them were close but undoubtedly, Vince felt closer to Diante' because they were 3 months apart in age. Jared was almost a full year older, and because of Jared's unwillingness to keep up with his grades, he was pushed back a year. Such was the reason, he had the same classes.

Besides that, Vince and Diante' knew each other first. They went to grammar school together, since 5th grade. Vince was Diante's big brother since between them, he was the oldest. So when Jared was talking of beating up Diante's father, it struck a chord. He knew Diante's dad more and really didn't want to do harm to him but lately, because Mr. Morillo had resorted to beating Diante' up, he was beginning to side with Jared more every day.

"Dude!" Jared put the bottle of Rum in Vince's face. "You didn't say nothin', so I brought your ass the bottle."

Vince laughed. "Thanks man." He took it from Jared, taking a swig. "Hey, I'm goin' to get, Diante', see if he wants some of this."

Jared plopped on the couch before he picked up a joint on the table. "Yeah okay. Get Diante' in here so we can talk. We need to get him some liquor, give us the go ahead to beat his dad's ass, and talk to him about moving in with us."

Vince nodded, walking out the room, towards Jared's bedroom where Diante' claimed he was taking a nap. He knocked on the door. "Hey man!" Vince called out. "C'mon out here, will ya'? nobody invited you over here to be antisocial."

"Alright, comin'!" He heard Diante' yell back.

"Yeah I bet he is," Jared added with a chuckle.

Vince laughed a bit too before busting in. His eyes widened as he saw Diante' doing something slightly unexpected. "What the FUCK are you doin?"