Pride

*Bonus Chapter* Christmas

"Jordan Christopher Wolf."

I resist the urge to sigh deeply. Here comes a lecture.

"You come home from university for the first time since you started school for Christmas- a family holiday- and you decide, without even bothering to consult your parents, that you're going to be spending not only this entire school break, but specifically Christmas- Christmas, Jordan- with the boyfriend who's been stealing all the rest of your time off school."

"He hasn't stolen any of my time off school. I choose to see him," I correct, knowing as I do it that it's only going to piss my parents off further.

"And what about your own family?! You're not going to end up marrying this boy, he won't be around forever, but we're your parents, who have always and will always support you, and you're just abandoning us for him any time you get the chance?!"

"I mean, it sounds to me like that's the smart thing to do, if I have limited time with him. I'd better make the most of it." The words come out cold, mostly because I know they wouldn't be this way if I was spending all my time with a girlfriend instead. Well, they might be, but they'd be significantly gentler about it, and they'd probably be talking more about how they know I'm trying to build my relationship with her than how we're not going to end up married.

As much as I hate it though, it's how I'm going to end up winning this argument. Once I accuse them of homophobia, they'll try and defend themselves and then eventually end up settling for something less than they're currently demanding. So there's that.

They're still lecturing me, and it's reaching that volume where I don't want to keep dealing with this, so I decide I've waited long enough to play the homophobia card. I interrupt them in the middle of their tirade about how family is the most important thing and they've been so patient with me as I gallivant around with this boy for all of my time off school and now I'm spending family holidays with him. "Is this because he's a boy?"

They stop. Stare for a moment, clearly incredulous that I could take such a shot (even though it's not unfounded). And then they burst into argument about how they're very tolerant and blah blah blah whatever. I highly doubt they'd be this defensive about it if they actually saw no difference between me dating a girl or a guy (or someone who goes by different labels- I don't think my parents are even aware that there are other pronouns, non-binary people, gender-fluid people, etc., and if I tried to explain it to them then I think their heads might actually explode. They're not necessarily conservative- well, maybe- but they have very set ideas about how things are, and gender in their minds is definitely not a spectrum).

Eventually they stop lecturing me and leave. I stay in the living room, watching a sitcom on Netflix. About half an hour later, they come back, their expressions in negotiating mode rather than lecturing mode. My mom sighs. "Fine. You can go to his house for Christmas after we've done presents and Christmas breakfast here."

This is the deal I was expecting. I'm fully ready to agree, but then my dad adds, "And, you and your boyfriend both come for and stay for our New Years party."

I eye them. "I already have plans with Nate for New Years."

"Invite him as well, then."

"My plans aren't just with Nate."

"How many people, then?"

"Twelve."

My mom gives me a look.

"It's just my usual group. Chase, Nate, and Levi." I sigh inwardly, already knowing that they love Levi and will gladly tell me to invite him too, which means I'll be fresh out of reasonable arguments that actually have a chance at working against my parents.