A Sweet Tooth For You(Kevin x Streber)

Chapter 28: Streber

That Halloween didn't feel much like Halloween. Once Kevin left for his babysitting job, I remembered my favorite memory of Arnold. The Gilmore Girls. We watched that religiously. But he was called for a mission. We only got through season 1 before he left. We were going to continue when he got back.
But he wasn't coming back.
So I pulled out my phone and opened up Netflix.
And I spent the rest of the day watching season 2. Thinking about some alternate reality where Arnold could've been here.
I finally stopped once it was 2 in the morning. I had church at 8. I had to be up and ready in 6 short hours.
I didn't want to go, but I didn't want anyone worrying, and I'd have to get through the empty "I'm sorry for your loss"-es as soon as possible before the incident made sure to haunt me for the rest of my pitiful life.    
The next 4 four hours felt like mere minutes. At 6 am, Mom knocked on the door.
"Come in." I muttered.
She opened the door, already in a light blue velvety dress. "Streber? Can we talk about something?"
A million thoughts raced through my head.
My true crime obsession?
My sketchbook?
My vampire fangs?
Did she find out I was dating Kevin?
"Sure." I said, in an unintentionally high-pitched voice.
She walked over to the bed, sitting on an empty section of the mattress.
"Listen, I know I haven't been a great mother..." She can say that again. "And I haven't taken any of your feelings seriously...but I swear...I'm going to try..." Honestly, I wouldn't have believed her if her voice wasn't so shaky.
"I-I recently learned that Kevin was that kid who was nearly forced out of the school because she-I mean-he was transgender..." she paused. "Is that true?"
Oh no...was she not going to allow Kevin to come over any more?
"Yeah...it is.." I softly admitted. Mom looked at me with an expression I couldn't make out.
She sighed. "I just...wanted to let you know that it's okay. And he is always welcome here..."
I must have been dreaming. I couldn't ever imagine mom accepting him.
"Streber...?" She asked after a brief moment of silence.
"Yes, mom?"
"Let me know if you're..." she hesitated. "If you think you might be...you know..."
"Gay?" I didn't mean to say that out loud. Was mom finally realizing we had feelings?
"Yeah.." Mom finally said.
"Alright..." I almost told her everything, but dad walked through the door. "If anyone asks why he did what he did when we're at church, just say he didn't leave a note. We can't have any more embarrassment to this family."   
Great. Dad wouldn't accept me. But mom might.       
I decided against telling her for the time being, though. I wanted to be in a position where dad wouldn't walk in.