The Coming Out

Cole

Cole had been friends with Ivan and Carson since they were all in middle school. They were practically inseparable, the three of them, and Cole was always the loudest, the rowdiest, and the most likely to say something he shouldn't. Specifically, he was always teasing Ivan and Carson about being gay and being together, but they never seemed to mind.

They were all in their senior year of high school now, and winter break was fast approaching. Cole had a plan to take a trip with the guys, but he hadn't decided where yet. Ivan and Carson were all for it, though, and they spent a lot of time talking about where they wanted to go and what they wanted to do.

"I've always wanted to go to Greece," Ivan said one day, scrolling through pictures on his phone. "It's so beautiful there."

Carson nodded, leaning over Ivan's shoulder to get a better look. "Yeah, and the history is amazing. We could visit all the ancient ruins."

Cole wrinkled his nose. "Sounds boring."

Ivan rolled his eyes. "You just want to go to some tropical island and party."

"Hey, I like culture too," Cole protested, though it was true that he preferred his vacations to involve less sightseeing and more drinking.

In the end, they decided on Greece. They all pitched in to buy plane tickets and booked an Airbnb in Athens. The trip was still a few weeks away, but they were already excited.

As the days went by, Ivan and Carson seemed to be getting closer and closer. Cole didn't think much of it at first – they were always close – but there was something different about the way they looked at each other now. Something that made Cole wonder if there was more to their friendship than he'd thought.

He didn't say anything, of course. Cole was the kind of guy who liked to tease his friends, but he knew where the line was. He didn't want to hurt Ivan or Carson's feelings.

But he couldn't help but feel a little jealous. He had always thought he and Ivan were the closest of the three of them, and now it seemed like Ivan was more interested in Carson. Cole didn't want to be left out.

The night before they left for Greece, they all got together at Ivan's house to pack their bags and plan their itinerary. Cole brought a six-pack of beer, and they sat around Ivan's kitchen table, laughing and joking and getting excited for their trip.

It was late when they finally called it a night. Ivan and Carson were going to meet up early to catch their flight, so they hugged Cole goodbye and headed home.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Cole let out a frustrated sigh. He cracked open another beer and took a long swig, feeling sorry for himself. It wasn't fair that Ivan and Carson were so close. He wanted to be close to them too.

But as he sat there, brooding, something occurred to him. Maybe there was a reason Ivan and Carson were so close. Maybe they had feelings for each other.

Cole's brain spun with this new idea. It was crazy, of course. Ivan had had plenty of girlfriends, and Carson had hooked up with a bunch of girls too. But there was something there, wasn't there? Something that Cole had never noticed before.

He finished his beer and headed home, still thinking about it. By the time he went to bed, he had convinced himself that Ivan and Carson were secretly in love with each other.

The trip to Greece was everything they had hoped for and more. They visited the Acropolis, saw the Parthenon, and took a ferry to the island of Santorini. They drank too much ouzo, ate too much.

----

Cole had always been close friends with Ivan and Carson, and he couldn't help but develop a crush on Ivan's ex-girlfriend, Riley. However, he kept his feelings hidden, not wanting to cause any drama or tension in their group.

One day, while hanging out with Ivan, Cole let it slip that he had been spending more time with Riley lately. Ivan's demeanor immediately changed, and Cole could sense the jealousy radiating from him.

"What's up with you, man?" Cole asked, sensing the tension. "Why do you care so much that I'm hanging out with Riley?"

Ivan hesitated for a moment before finally speaking up. "It's just...I still have feelings for her, you know?"

Cole was taken aback. He had no idea that Ivan still had feelings for his ex-girlfriend. "Well, why didn't you say something sooner?" he asked, slightly frustrated.

"I don't know, man. I guess I just thought it would be better to move on," Ivan replied, sounding defeated.

"But you can't just act possessive over her, Ivan. That's not fair to anyone," Cole said, trying to reason with his friend.

Ivan nodded, knowing that Cole was right. "You're right. I need to figure out my own feelings before I can get jealous over someone else."

Cole nodded, glad that they could have an honest conversation about their feelings. But he couldn't help but feel a little hurt that Ivan was still hung up on Riley when he himself had feelings for her.

Cole decided that it was best to distance himself from Riley and give Ivan the space he needed to figure out his own feelings. He didn't want to come between their friendship, but he couldn't deny his own feelings either. It was a difficult decision, but he knew it was the right one.

Why was Ivan acting all over his ex when he definitely has feelings for Carson?