We're Not Alone

Chapter 10

Leo POV

I stumble out of my front door, or I guess My dad's front door, my head throbbing, I brush my finger over my forehead, I look down, my right index finger now stained red.

My mind replays everything over and over and over, meeting him over the summer, our first kiss, the day we took that photo and the day my half-brother found it, today. Ryan wasn't supposed to come here, he was supposed to be in college. Instead, he decided to snoop through my room, finding a picture of me kissing him. Instead of minding his business, he showed my dad. My dad who until 20 minutes ago when I walked into the kitchen, was a loving, and caring dad. But somehow, one picture, one guy, turned my dad into the opposite.

I had gotten into an argument with my... I don't know, not officially boyfriend, but hopefully he will say yes when I ask him this week. I don't want to out him, so let's call him Atlas, I don't know, it's the first name that came to me. After our small fight, I came home to my very own hell. A mix of screaming, slurs, fists hitting my face, a sly grin on Ryan's face all led up to me packing a bag, my own father kicking me out of my house. Sorry, his house.

I glance around and decide to walk down the block towards the gas station. I could call Atlas, but he doesn't have a car, plus we're in a fight, and I'm not ready to talk about this with him, he's going through a hard time and I don't want to add to it, oh and he's also not out, so a crying guy might be hard to explain.

My mom is in the middle of moving houses, from one thats 45 minutes away to one thats 5 minutes from here. She's on a business meeting out of town, she technically still owns the old house, I could sneak in, but she hasn't closed on our new house, the one in walking distance.

I check the time, it's 10:37 pm, and the bus shut down at 10:30. I laugh, the universe is really testing me right now. But who else do I have? I sigh, Scarlett. Maybe it's pathetic and I doubt she knows, but besides my parents, or I guess just my mom now, I've always had no one. Until Atlas, who flipped my world upside down, but I know soon enough it'll disappear, just like all the people I once trusted.

Admittedly I can be cold and closed off, but Scarlett didn't seem to care. I was scared to be friends with her because I didn't want to lead her on. I mean I'm gay, but I'm not out. Most girls assume I'm interested in them if I say even just one word, they throw themselves onto me, but Scar never did, in fact, she didn't seem even the slightest bit interested in me romantically. She always seemed happy but I could see the pain in her eyes, I think that's what let me become friends with her, we both knew pain, and we both didn't seem to open up to any people, I mean at school I never really saw her with friends, same as me. But we also just met this week and now what? I call her crying and ask her to pick me up?

Calling means explaining, and that means telling her I lied about being an only child, I mean he's a half-brother but I've never considered him family, in my mind I am an only child. It also means coming out to her, Which would be only the third person I've ever come out to, well fifth now, thanks to Ryan. I know she wouldn't judge me, I mean she came out to me, even if It was by accident. Plus when I slipped up in class one day and started to say "him" instead of "her" she didn't flinch. I don't know if she caught it or not, but if she did, she's a damn good actor.

I glance at my phone, trying to see the call button. It's only now, that I realize I haven't stopped crying since I left my house, my tears making it hard to see. I quickly wipe them, hitting call. She answers on the first ring.

"Leo?" I sniffle "What's wrong? Are you okay?" I take a deep breath, swallowing hard "I-I didn't know who else to call, something happened and well" I pause not knowing how to explain the situation I'm in "It's a really long story, but my dad, he uh well he kicked me out. Is there any way you could give me a ride?" I hear movement on the other end of the phone