When I woke up, there was loud knocking on the door. Thinking it was Dad or something, I jumped up from my bed and practically ran to the door. The main reason why I felt so worried was because today was Friday, and I’d totally forgotten I got to skip school today. I opened it up, but instantly wanted to close it once I realized it was my older brother, Eric. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAcr1bicfs8P 維尼
I didn’t even notice he had my phone in his hand until he held it up, his face without any expression at all. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAIYrRtqoF7X 維尼
“Hey, Eric,” I said. “Can you give me my phone and get out? I really need some sleep, still.”8964 copyright protection440PENANAwv6a6hHBf8 維尼
Eric looked at me for a few seconds, but didn’t put down my phone. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAgjaxofdDHI 維尼
“Come on, Eric,” I said, putting out my hand, flat so that he’d just leave it there and then go back to what he’s doing. “Give it back.”8964 copyright protection440PENANAjHX8cJCFfZ 維尼
Eric shrugged, then went into my room without asking and sat down on my bed. “I will,” he said. “But, first, I need you to tell me who this Delcan kid is.”8964 copyright protection440PENANARRC0CnimFU 維尼
The second I heard Delcan’s name, my entire body went into lockdown mode. Don’t say anything about him, I said. Tell no one. Don’t tell him anything he needs to know. Just lie and get it over with. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAFVMVe7ZsRp 維尼
“Who?”444Please respect copyright.PENANAvPP8FNBdE6
Eric titled his head to the side. “You know who,” he said, handing me my phone. I took it, making sure I wouldn’t make eye contact. This probably wouldn't even be that bad. They would just be him flirting with me and me joking about that. Or I could just say that all of is a lie, because I couldn’t tell him. And I really did think it’d just be a breeze.8964 copyright protection440PENANATp7MuQWSJ9 維尼
But then I saw the texts. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAe0Kh5kJoxR 維尼
Thursday; 3:578964 copyright protection440PENANAHah69avwNi 維尼
Delcan:8964 copyright protection440PENANAtLvNAdvoKg 維尼
Hey, handsome.8964 copyright protection440PENANAfkJS4TwWUf 維尼
Me:8964 copyright protection440PENANA3t9UGliGzY 維尼
Hi. What’s up?8964 copyright protection440PENANA0kWpFsHZJo 維尼
Delcan:8964 copyright protection440PENANARdUSv3Ak1X 維尼
Working on the rest of my homework. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAssk54VBOa1 維尼
But...I could use a good distraction. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAMkknJqvgLB 維尼
Me:8964 copyright protection440PENANAK55irsyKVK 維尼
Delcan…8964 copyright protection440PENANAjkxUGC1pA2 維尼
Delcan:8964 copyright protection440PENANADElRDhbC7r 維尼
Think you could come over?8964 copyright protection440PENANAuUA9wh1Ly5 維尼
Me:8964 copyright protection440PENANA9a7HJKxaMy 維尼
Don’t think so. I have a lot of homework I need to finish. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAJ1f2fJdVU9 維尼
Delcan:8964 copyright protection440PENANAODxa2194ST 維尼
Okay. What class?8964 copyright protection440PENANAWJamRZmAan 維尼
Me:8964 copyright protection440PENANAVUEEGojnxq 維尼
English, math class, and Pre-AP science. What about you?8964 copyright protection440PENANAfdyERHWHIq 維尼
Delcan:8964 copyright protection440PENANAviUIDmG3bF 維尼
Science, Math, and some improvements for boxing. I messed up on my uppercut today, which never happens…8964 copyright protection440PENANAna8kXOjFeI 維尼
Me:8964 copyright protection440PENANA8GdaF58EBM 維尼
How could you mess up on anything? You’re amazing at each and everything you do. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAMrwzl0JdEx 維尼
I should know.8964 copyright protection440PENANAeypz2orf83 維尼
Delcan:8964 copyright protection440PENANAKTYdIRtRIG 維尼
Ha. I know, it’s just that...I like to be at the top of my class. Is that weird or something?8964 copyright protection440PENANALtWTA7jp3X 維尼
Me: 8964 copyright protection440PENANAWwvXSv0bew 維尼
No. Just means you’re competitive. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAzeaYnbF1HB 維尼
Delcan: 8964 copyright protection440PENANAUuGH3ogAgL 維尼
Okay, so is being competitive a good thing, or not?8964 copyright protection440PENANATrpO0PxFiT 維尼
Me:8964 copyright protection440PENANAJFzUH4FENc 維尼
Are you kidding? Of course it is.8964 copyright protection440PENANAm9Mx8NDdxZ 維尼
Some people even think it’s hot…8964 copyright protection440PENANAJkJReDiOwJ 維尼
Delcan:8964 copyright protection440PENANAMVK1FyPoXB 維尼
You’re cute too, Ez. 8964 copyright protection440PENANArY9czamahG 維尼
Sometimes, I seriously think you forget you’re the quarterback. You’re as sexy as they come.8964 copyright protection440PENANAhkvNXjUEAk 維尼
Me:8964 copyright protection440PENANA8jIU04muKw 維尼
Yeah…8964 copyright protection440PENANAc1kAnHmo45 維尼
I have to go. Maybe we can talk when my homework is finished.8964 copyright protection440PENANA2jOCfn5m80 維尼
Delcan:8964 copyright protection440PENANAHBFwfKkf2u 維尼
You don’t think you’d be able to take a break for a few seconds? 8964 copyright protection440PENANAEpe096BjOg 維尼
Me:8964 copyright protection440PENANAVkHAa8Hoq2 維尼
With you, no, Delcan. I seriously do need to get my work done, okay?8964 copyright protection440PENANA2KzkWNiXJb 維尼
Delcan:8964 copyright protection440PENANACviFORXWNn 維尼
Just come over.8964 copyright protection440PENANA98OWTxb71H 維尼
I can tell my parents and Callie that we’re studying.8964 copyright protection440PENANA6Qs5p1jnDl 維尼
Me:8964 copyright protection440PENANACrrrUR0e5Q 維尼
They’ll know that’s a huge lie, Delcan.8964 copyright protection440PENANAZDYdxPx1T2 維尼
Delcan:8964 copyright protection440PENANAt5XhrTpWMx 維尼
Not really. I mean, we’re studying each other….8964 copyright protection440PENANAMUmoqfNrxV 維尼
Me:8964 copyright protection440PENANA5IiHANu6hu 維尼
What the heck? 8964 copyright protection440PENANAS5nG5MuTZn 維尼
Sure, I’ll be over in a few minutes.8964 copyright protection440PENANAa6juzdcqEd 維尼
Delcan:8964 copyright protection440PENANAqislibme2q 維尼
Sweet. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAt3kkTYiFxj 維尼
And bring your homework too, in case you actually do want to study. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAocz9f7UIGo 維尼
My throat was dry, but at least my phone was back in my hands. Clearly, these texts showed that we were much more than friends. I swallowed, and held my phone tightly in my hand, trying to pace my breathing. 8964 copyright protection440PENANA7f4WiOgQ6q 維尼
Why was he even going through my texts in the first place?8964 copyright protection440PENANAxwKsDox1w0 維尼
I still wasn’t even breathing correctly. Possibly, I was sweating, I wasn’t sure. The morning sun shone through my room, which usually calmed me, but now made me wonder how long it would take for me to reveal the truth. Days? Nights? Years, maybe.8964 copyright protection440PENANAIHbWZJkYD0 維尼
This was not the way I planned to come out.8964 copyright protection440PENANALQrwAq0qjx 維尼
“Wanna explain it?” Eric asked, his voice sounding questionable. I didn’t even know if he was angry or not, it just seemed weird to hear it.8964 copyright protection440PENANAKh3BX8WGU8 維尼
I shook my head, still looking down. I had to bite my lip down to hold back the tears that were starting to form on his face. But I guess I was biting hard enough that I began bleeding. The blood wasn’t a lot, but it was burning as if I’d put my hand in boiling water. I stood up, pushing past Eric and went into my bathroom that I shared with him. 8964 copyright protection440PENANA5R7FKY0IUC 維尼
Grabbing a tissue, I tried my best to get all of the blood off my face while also getting back all the pain I felt right now. I didn’t know why, but I thought that going in the bathroom would have Eic take the hint, though he followed me in there, his arms crossed. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAbQcFUoAtxx 維尼
“What do you want from me, Eric?” I asked him.8964 copyright protection440PENANAd2emv3Wi0r 維尼
Eric un-crossed his arms and put them down to his sides. “The truth,” he said to me. “I took a few screenshots of the conversations between the two of you, plus the pictures…” he shook his head, and I could feel the blood rush to my cheeks. “But I just need the truth, Ezra.”8964 copyright protection440PENANAkI3PX0YPm4 維尼
⟴, ⟴,⟴. I’m dead. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAercx3XfV3Z 維尼
But Eric didn’t even wait for me to respond to him. “I won’t tell Mom, or Dad. But I just want you to tell me what’s going on between you two.”8964 copyright protection440PENANArR2ynhssA6 維尼
“Can’t you just guess?” I snapped. He raised his eyebrows to me, and I shook my head, leaving the bathroom. I could feel the tears beginning to find their way into my heart. There was no way I could tell Eric, he was basically like Dad.8964 copyright protection440PENANAbOfKqJPYZT 維尼
But he wasn’t backing down. Eric followed me out of our bathroom and sat down on the bed next to me. “Guess what, Ezra?”8964 copyright protection440PENANAZVB7LVvAUF 維尼
“Um…” I said, trying to find some way to say the words. “Delcan-Delcan and I-” I stopped myself and thought about anything that could get me out of this. “We’re just friends. I have a girlfriend, Eric.”8964 copyright protection440PENANAiWiGP3xySY 維尼
Eric smiled to me, but not any normal smile, a smug one. “Try again.”8964 copyright protection440PENANAdD2pc9Tk2S 維尼
“Why are you forcing me to tell you?” I asked, raising my hands up in the air. “Can’t you just guess?”444Please respect copyright.PENANAiuQQpdFsHu
Eric shook his head. “I’d rather hear it from you.”8964 copyright protection440PENANAcgI94Xe7qW 維尼
“Fine!” I said. Maybe if I just said it, he’d leave me the ⟴ alone. But, just as I was about to get the words out of my mouth, my stomach twisted, and I closed my mouth. I closed my eyes, and then said the words rather fast. “I’m dating him.”8964 copyright protection440PENANA3xbZzI3wm9 維尼
Eric blinked, and then nodded slowly. “Okay…” he slowly said, processing it like I was still trying to. “Are you...bi?”8964 copyright protection440PENANA9GtFneS1nv 維尼
I shook my head. Maybe if I was bi, things would’ve been easier. I still would’ve been into girls, and avoiding Delcan by saying I had a girlfriend would’ve been easier. But, my stupid mouth had to open up and just say it. Now, here I was, being forced out of the closet. “No.”8964 copyright protection440PENANABoyoL2hIBF 維尼
“Oh,” Eric said. I could tell her felt uncomfortable, but he was trying to act cool about all of it. “Then what are you?”8964 copyright protection440PENANA7KJbhNbWGa 維尼
The tears were already coming. I hid my face away from him and tried to pull myself together, but my body was already giving up. Might as well say it all.8964 copyright protection440PENANASTxstEM8XV 維尼
“I-I...I’m gay.” I said. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAeGrzHMObSG 維尼
Eric didn’t say anything to me, instead, he just nodded. Then he said something both of us knew were true. “Mom and Dad will kill you if they find out.” 8964 copyright protection440PENANAjNmuKHxqHF 維尼
I nodded and ran my hands through my hair, feeling my breathing skip. “I know,” I said. “How are you not mad at me?”8964 copyright protection440PENANA3XUDMRTgkm 維尼
Eric shrugged, like it was an everyday thing that he deals with this. “Mom and Dad taught us that being gay, bisexual, trans, or anything else, is wrong. But I don’t think I could judge you over something you can never change. And if that’s who you are, I’m willing to accept that.”8964 copyright protection440PENANABaQYJ87nSQ 維尼
I didn’t even know that you could happy cry. I seriously just thought it was something they did in movies. Like, where the guy gets the girl, and she’s happy crying because he revealed his feelings for her. But here I was, happy crying. More than anything, I was thankful to at least have him accepting me. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAZfJ0j213eL 維尼
Though I didn’t even want him to see my crying, he pulled me into a half-hug. I didn’t resist it like always. Instead, I rested my head on his shoulder, still happy-crying. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAhRj53nEvFK 維尼
“You won’t tell Emmanuel right?” I asked him. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAReFdNq5pg2 維尼
Eric laughed, letting me go. “How could I? I don’t even think he completely knows what gay means. Telling him would have no point.” 8964 copyright protection440PENANA23M3mo4N22 維尼
I nodded, laughing too. I remembered the night after we watched a movie which turned out to have a lesbian character, Mom and Dad sat us down for a long talk. Because I was around 10 years old, hearing the words hurt me, even though I was still too young to know why. But I do remember that the entire time, Emmanuel kept on tapping on Eric or me and would ask us what they were talking about. I told him he needed to stop after he tried getting Eric’s attention for a third time, but he was only four then. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAsxrWcNnfYS 維尼
After he realized that neither Eric or I would give him anything, he moved onto Evelyn, who simply ignored him.8964 copyright protection440PENANAwcCXiyF7zL 維尼
“Yeah,” I said.8964 copyright protection440PENANAAHcIhdDWES 維尼
Eric smiled without showing his teeth, shaking his head. Then, he got pretty serious. “So...does Evelyn know?”8964 copyright protection440PENANAcL7gnNP6IV 維尼
I nodded, halfy remembering the details from that night. Lots of tears, and lots of heartache. “Yeah,” I said. “She found out when I was in 7th grade.”8964 copyright protection440PENANAfYP3XopFmu 維尼
Eric seemed shocked, and it was really hard to tell why. Maybe because he was suddenly hearing all this news about my sexuality, or possibly because I never told him about any of it. Still, I had a feeling he was about to ask me a lot more questions.8964 copyright protection440PENANADbVz0Jk8Oc 維尼
And I was right.8964 copyright protection440PENANARnuVAAmYJg 維尼
“But what about your girlfriends?” he asked me with curiosity.8964 copyright protection440PENANAKQVRS9axJB 維尼
I raised my eyebrows. “Girlfriends?”8964 copyright protection440PENANAKA2hfHBnK4 維尼
“You know what I mean,” he said, talking with his hands. “Haven and Evvie.”8964 copyright protection440PENANAMm8lWFV89H 維尼
Slightly offended by the comment, I shrugged. “Evvie knows,” I said. “But Haven doesn’t. And neither does her sister, or her family.”444Please respect copyright.PENANAz71qr8Vga5
“Oh my God, Ezra!”8964 copyright protection440PENANAHrM7AqMjVH 維尼
“Not you too…”444Please respect copyright.PENANANL9FiZKn6C
Eric ignored my comment. Instead of stopping to think about a response, he acted as if I’d never even opened my mouth. “You really need to tell Haven,” Eric said. “Does she love you?”8964 copyright protection440PENANATy13ejQ7tr 維尼
I looked at him this time. The inside of me wanted to respond with; Oh, you didn’t go through those messages? But I knew that wasn’t the me everyone knew, not even the me Eric knew. But it felt as if one of the thousands of weights I felt everyday had been lifted off my shoulder, so I fessed up.8964 copyright protection440PENANAO5MB0AARyZ 維尼
“Yeah, she does.”8964 copyright protection440PENANA5ib0fAkjA5 維尼
“Bro…” Eric said, dragging out the word and falling down on my bed. I looked at him, but still was feeling a bit thankful that he was cool with all of this. Not the Haven part, the part about me. Honestly, I thought the second he would’ve heard about Delcan and I, he would’ve immediately gone to Mom or Dad and would’ve told them everything. Maybe to get me in huge trouble for the first time, I don’t know. But the fact that he was so cool about my sexuality made me feel a bit better about myself, even though I still had Haven to deal with. “You really need to tell her. I’m not really allowed to tell you what you wanna do with your life, but...you seriously need to let her know.”444Please respect copyright.PENANAZmvdlHANSA
I nodded. “I know,” I said, checking my phone to make sure there were no new messages. “I’m getting to it.”8964 copyright protection440PENANA0B1kvzZR1W 維尼
“How long have you been trying to get to it?” Eric asked me. He was right, and I hated it when he was. 8964 copyright protection440PENANANJKWABxpYp 維尼
“Good point.”8964 copyright protection440PENANA5vOmwQqLVi 維尼
Eric smirked. “Yup,” he said. “And when can we meet Delcan?”8964 copyright protection440PENANATrkqNRx0PQ 維尼
I tensed up, and looked at him quickly. “What do you mean we?” I asked, my voice sounding just as tense as the rest of my body did. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAUpw2b1VlyK 維尼
“Evelyn and I,” Eric said, seeming completely calm about all of it. He’d turned his body to where he was still sprawled out on my bed, though he was looking at me now. “Has Evvie met him?”444Please respect copyright.PENANAXXlSQlrRCm
No use trying to hide ⟴ now. “Yeah. But I really don’t think you should talk to him. That sounds rude, I know, but-”8964 copyright protection440PENANAAdaVugCK4H 維尼
“Do his parents know?” he interrupted. I didn’t even know if Eric cared about my answer, he was probably just asking me a series of questions now. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAaRtSyDEB4n 維尼
I nodded, biting my lip. Both of Delcan’s parents knew he was gay. His mom was cool with it, basically let it all slide, but his dad was still trying to understand it. Though Delcan always told me never to worry about it, because him and his dad have been close since he was born. Though, as much as I’d like to trust Delcan, I’m pretty sure his dad hates me. 8964 copyright protection440PENANALNQAsqRW5w 維尼
But it was fine that he did, because I still had my mixed emotions about him.8964 copyright protection440PENANAkfO696whU3 維尼
“Yes, they do,” I said. “And so does his sister. He’s really open about all of it.” 8964 copyright protection440PENANAfsIhOMBMGg 維尼
Eric nodded, soaking in everything. “I’ve never seen you really...look at any guys at school. Where does he go?”444Please respect copyright.PENANASkvHS98Kox
I was still worried that Dad would walk in any second now, but then I remembered the large meeting he had today, and that Mom was still feeling pretty bad. Neither one of them would even make an effort to ask me about my actual life, anyways. “Oakwood,” I responded, beginning to feel distracted.8964 copyright protection440PENANAoxw79ytWZt 維尼
“What?” Eric asked, pure shock on his face. “He goes to Oakwood?! Why would you even-how did you two-what-”8964 copyright protection440PENANAyKspChv2zV 維尼
“Don’t attack him, Eric.” Evelyn demanded softly, sounding a bit like Mom when she wanted all of us to stop fighting. She was standing in my doorway, her arms crossed. She was wearing the same clothes from earlier, but her hair was now dry, and pulled back out of her face. She must’ve been in the backyard practicing. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAPOpikgUY8g 維尼
Eric looked up at her. “Did you know that Delcan goes to Oakwood?” 8964 copyright protection440PENANADv3DPTPjmd 維尼
Evelyn nodded, raising her eyebrows. “It’s not even that big of a deal,” she said. I shook my head, smiling to her, because I knew that she didn’t even understand the rivalry between Oakwood and EastLand, not that she needed to know, anyways, she was only in 9th grade. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAoSe1jeKXRz 維尼
Eric glared at her, beginning to put up a fight. “Yes, it is. You do know that since he is dating someone on the opposing team, that Delcan could just break up with him at any time. And if Ezra is heartbroken, we’re all screwed.” he said. He was still talking with his hands, something my brother did when he wanted to make a point. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAqYMHpALcJP 維尼
I looked at him. “Two things,” I said. “One, be quiet. And two, how would that even affect the rest of you?”8964 copyright protection440PENANADK3qK6uoNv 維尼
Both of them ignored me, too caught up in which one would be right. “Delcan isn’t on the football team,” Evelyn argued. “He’s on the boxing team. Plus, I’ve already interrogated him about that, I’m positive he wouldn’t. On top of that, he basically hates everyone on the Oakwood football team.” 8964 copyright protection440PENANABoU7IkZelz 維尼
“Who doesn’t?” Eric mumbled. But I was close enough to hear him, and I began laughing. “Is that true?” he asked me.8964 copyright protection440PENANA7SJfbx8rE3 維尼
I caught my breath and then nodding, doing my best to ignore what Evelyn said about interrogating Delcan. “Yup,” I said. “Also, he knows what the two of you look like, so don’t try talking to him after school or something.”8964 copyright protection440PENANA8ylFg50pkU 維尼
Eric sat back on his arms, relaxing. Evelyn chuckled, probably thinking about how awkward of a conversation that would be. “Will he be at the game tomorrow?” Eric asked me, beginning to grab his phone.8964 copyright protection440PENANAv9DggUSZNi 維尼
I felt the need to take it from him, like with what he did with mine, but I resisted. Brushing the back of my neck with my hand, I nodded slowly. “Yeah…”444Please respect copyright.PENANAbDPWFtIwl4
“Okay,” Eric said, sounding really odd. “Good to know.”8964 copyright protection440PENANAvUSFrlRQXF 維尼
Evelyn cleared her throat. “Stop it,” she said. “Come on. I need one of you to help Emmanuel get ready for this morning. Oh, and Ezra?” I looked away from Eric and at my younger sister, who was already looking tired. “Someone’s here to see you.”8964 copyright protection440PENANA1VuRXX0av0 維尼
I furrowed my eyebrows. But before I could even open my mouth and ask who it was, Eric had began leaving my room, following Evelyn into the hallway to help Emmanuel get ready for today. Before he left my room, Eric looked back at me, and raised one of his eyebrows, his sign of “I love you”, then left my room.8964 copyright protection440PENANAtJnEHJEe6s 維尼
Did that just happen? I thought to myself. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAgQ2tJjMZuG 維尼
All of the words that were said, the huge surprise from my brother being okay with my sexuality (except for the fact that he’s from Oakwood. That would take some time to get over for him), and on top of all of that, Evvie was back in town. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAp5YazsUrB5 維尼
It did. 8964 copyright protection440PENANAdSY0x0YC6b 維尼
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