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This has nothing to do with the prompt. It's not another part of Dead End, either, I'm working on that. Please tell me if I should keep writing it. Enjoy!

“Pick up, pick up, pick up.” Daniel mutters.

He’s sitting on a bench in the park, at five in the afternoon, trying to call the mother he’s never met to ask her to pick him up.

Am I crazy for doing this? He wonders. Yeah, I probably am.

He brushes his messy black hair out of his face, but the cold air just blows it back. He sighs. He has light brown skin, and hazel eyes. He’s wearing a winter coat, and jeans. 

The phone is still ringing.

Of course she won't pick up. She won’t answer some random phone number. 

The phone call connects. He stares at the phone stupidly. 

I seriously need to stop doubting myself, He thinks as he brings the phone up to his ear.

“Hello?” A friendly voice says. “This is Catherine Maybel”.

He doesn't know what to say. Which disappointed him a little. 

After seventeen years of thinking what he would say to his mother, when he’s on the phone with her, he’s out of words.

“Hello?” She repeats 

“Uh, hi. This is Daniel. Daniel Young?” He says.

He can hear her gasp. “Daniel? You got my letter. Are you doing alright?”

Yes, he got the letter. It explained a lot of things he had wondered for a while. Apparently, his parents had him when they were in college. Catherine wanted to keep him, but her parents refused. Blake, his father, took care of him for seventeen years. Catherine didn't want to contact him until he would be old enough to understand what happened. 

His birthday was four days ago. Sunday, January third. He got it in the mail. He didn't usually get mail, so he read it before his dad came home. Then he hid it under his mattress. Then read it again. Then hid it again.

It had her phone number at the bottom. He didn't know if he would call her. His dad would hate it, he hated mentioning her. But, he had questions for her, and he did want to meet her. They still lived in the same town, so he’s probably seen her before.

So it was a pretty good time to call her, when his dad kicked him out of the house.

“Um, well, Dad kicked me out? And, I don't have anywhere to go. So.. I was wondering if maybe I could stay with you? If you were okay with it.” 

She’s quiet for a moment. Do I sound desperate? He thought.

“Blake kicked you out?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” She says. “ Where are you?”

“I’m at Squirrel Park.” He says. Our town needs to work on names.

“Okay. I can be there in ten minutes. Look for a white Ford.”

“Thank you.” He tells her.

“No problem, kid. See you soon.” She hangs up.

That went well. He thought. I hope she’s okay with the news.

He didn't really want to have to tell her, but he figured she probably needed to know. She’d probably end up asking.

It was the news that got him kicked out. 

The news he thought his friends would be okay with. 

The news he thought his dad would be okay with.

But, for some reason, people don’t know how to accept others.

He was going to have to tell his mother he was gay.

He hadn't planned on telling his dad.

He was in his room, on the phone with his boyfriend, TJ, and he hadn't realized his dad was home.

“When do you want to go?” He had asked TJ. They had been planning to go to the movies. It was still winter break.

“Whenever is fine.” TJ had replied.

Daniel spun in his desk chair, with his phone to his ear. He had been secretly dating TJ for almost 2 years. They had been best friends long before then.

“Saturday? At twelve?” He suggested.

“Okay.” TJ said. “I’ll have your present ready then.”

TJ had been out of town at his cousin's house during Daniel's birthday, but TJ said he had a birthday gift for Daniel.

It would probably be great, since TJ was amazing at presents. He had the best gifts.

“Okay. See you then.” Daniel told him. 

“Okay.” TJ replied. “Love you, Danny.”

Daniel smiled. “Love you too, TJ.”

They hung up, and Daniel spun his chair, standing up, and going towards the door.

He froze when he saw his dad standing there.

Blake was a big man. He was built from all the time he spent in the gym he worked at.

He had short black hair, and light skin. He was wearing his usual undershirt and shorts. 

His face was red. Which meant he was mad. He didn't usually get mad. He was a great dad, but incredibly homophobic. Daniel didn't tell his dad, because he knew he’d get mad.

“Uh, are you okay, Dad?” He asked nervously.

“Downstairs. Now.” His dad ordered, then stormed down the stairs.

Daniel grabbed a bag, and quickly stuffed stuff inside.

 Just in case. 

His wallet, the letter, a picture of him and TJ, his phone, His sketchbook, and his keys.

He went downstairs, and slid his bag by the door.

He stood in the doorway of the living room, and his dad was pacing the room. He stopped when he saw Daniel. He stayed on the opposite side of the room, as far away from Daniel as possible.

“So?” He demanded.

“You called me in here.” Daniel blurted. This just made his dad madder.

Daniel had a bad habit of mouthing off. 

His dad usually tolerated it, but not when he was mad.

He pointed a finger at Daniel. “Don't sass me.”

Daniel bit his lip to keep quiet.

“Why’d you tell TJ you love him?” He asked.

His dad had met TJ. He had come over to study and sometimes stayed for dinner.

Daniel sighed. He was going to find out anyway. 

“I’m dating him.” He said simply.

His dad balled his fist. “You're lying.” 

“No, I’m not, Dad. Deal with it.” Daniel said, crossing his arms.

“Fine.” He said. “Then get out.”

“What?” Daniel shouted “Are you serious?”

His dad crossed his arms. “Yes, I’m serious. Unless you admit to lying about this, then get out.”

“I’m not lying, Dad! Why don't you believe me?” He shouted. He was crying. His dad looked like he was about to start.

“ I won’t have you in my house. Leave. Now.” He yelled. “You're your mother's child.”

Daniel spun around, and walked to the door. He grabbed shoes, his coat, and the backpack. He slammed the door shut, and ran down the front steps. He ran all the way to the empty park, and cried on the bench.

When he was done crying, he reached in his bag. His fingers brushed the letter. He pulled it out, and called his mother.

Now, he stands. A white ford just pulled into the empty parking lot. The door opens. A woman steps out.

“Daniel,” She says, with tears in her eyes.

Daniel finds his voice. “Mom?”