Me? Updating a book no one reads? Never heard of her!
"I don't get it, it doesn't happen like that!" I complain, frustrated from such a small thing causing an argument between us.
Frank glares at me with cold eyes. "Just because you've never had that moment doesn't mean no one else has! It's a real thing!"
I scoff. "What? You're talking with someone, they laugh and say your cute, and then 'oh.' Next paragraph 'I'm in love with them...'? Has that happened to you?"
"Yes!" He yells, far more frustrated than the conversation should have made him.
I stare a little blankly for a moment, mulling over what he said. "What?" He glares at me again and turns away. "When? Who? Why didn't you say anything? We tell each other everything and you don't tell me when you get a crush on someone? I told you I liked Lindsey the day I figured it out! Only minutes afterward I texted you about it-"
"You have no idea! It's bigger than you'd think!"
I pull on my red locks and groan, frustrated we're arguing over a fucking fanfic trope. "Then explain!"
"I can't Gerard! It's a long story, why do you always have to pick a fight! You're right! I tell you everything, so now I'm not allowed to keep one fucking thing to myself? I'm an individual you know? With my own thoughts and feelings and existence? I plan to tell you! Please just fucking let me breathe and figure this out, alright!"
"Figure what out?!"
"Figure out my fucking sexuality, dickwad!" He screams, covering his mouth instantly afterward, looking afraid. The silence stretches between us as what he said runs through my brain.
"Your what?" I ask, frozen in place.
Tears form in his eyes and every visible part of his body starts shaking. He closes his eyes and shakes his head quickly, not responding verbally.
Sexuality was something I'm kinda indifferent about. I don't really care who you're attracted to, but it's a little strange to me that someone would be attracted to their own gender. I'd expressed my thoughts to Frank before, telling him I thought it was weird, and I didn't understand it. And that I didn't like thinking about it, that I didn't like it being near me. He had just nodded along to whatever I said and didn't talk to me the rest of the day.
I guess his reaction makes sense now.
"Frank..." I start, not quite sure where I was going with this. I didn't want to stop being his friend, I cared a lot about him, but...
"Please," he whispers "please."
"Please what?"
Tears that had gathered in his eyes fall down his face. "Please don't leave me, I-I swear it's n-not you, I won't pursue him. I s-still like girls, I'll date one, go to prom with one, marry one eventually, I'll suppress it. Just p-please don't stop being my friend. It's just a phase, I'll get over it, it was only him, I've never felt it before, I promise I'll ig-ignore it. Just please don't leave me, you're my best f-friend, I c-can't l-lose you."
More tears fall down his face as he quickly rambles. It takes me a minute to think about what he said, what he's promising. I look at his distressed state, and think about it from his side. He'd give up someone he was in love with to stay my friend. He's assuring me that he'd do anything, even act what I consider to be "normal" and give up who he is, just to keep me from hating him. He didn't choose this. He wouldn't have. Not if this is how he's acting.
It takes a full three minutes for me to respond.
"Frank," I mumble, walking to wards him, stopping as he flinches.
