'Cause I'd Find You In Any World (Nick and Charlie - Alternate Universe)

Chapter Forty Two

Chapter Forty Two.

Charlie:
Michael and I get up and walk over to the air hockey table. I feel like there's something he wants to talk about, but I'm not the kind of person that is going to force a conversation out of anyone. We start to play and I score a goal.

"Yes!" I say while I throw my hand up in the air. 
"Hey Charlie?" He asks.

I look at him.

"Yeah, what's up?"

He looks down at the air hockey table.

"When you came out to your Mum... how bad was it?"

I feel a lump in my throat. Not specifically because it brought back memories of that night, but I do feel like Nick's friends wouldn't ask me that out of the blue unless they thought they might be in a similar situation. 

"Um, honestly?"

He looks up at me and our eyes meet.

"Honestly."

I sigh.

"It was awful. I mean, my brother knew for years and my Dad found out a week before it. They were both great, but with her... it was like, I was no longer her son. You would have thought I committed murder or something, just telling her who I am caused that..." 

My voice trailed off. I didn't want to scare him or anything, but I also didn't want to sugar coat it either. It was the hardest thing I've ever dealt with my entire life. 

"Do you want to go outside for a minute and get some air?" I ask. Mostly for him, but for me too if I'm being honest.

He nods his head and we go outside and sit on the stairs in front of the house.

"Are you, I mean, I feel like you're asking me this for a reason.." I say as I put my hand on his shoulder.

He sighs.

"I'm bisexual. Wow, that's the second time I've ever said that out loud and they've both been today. I'm just really nervous to tell --"
"Your Mum?" I ask.

He shakes his head.

"My Dad. My Mum, brother and sister won't have a problem with it. But, when Nick came out, my Dad acted like Nick was this totally different person. He told me he didn't want me hanging out with him anymore. He didn't forbid it, he never treated Nick any different when he came over, but I knew. And no offense to Nick, but he's not my Dad's kid. And I think my Dad is going to take it much worse hearing it about me."

I wish I knew what to say. I went into telling my Mum knowing it wouldn't be easy but even still, it was worse than I ever imagined. I wanted to die. My Dad was ready to get divorced. James was ready to punch her in the face, so was Mia. I was heartbroken. 

"What happened after the initial blow out with your Mum?"

I let out a small, sarcastic chuckle.

"Um, well.. First, she told me I wasn't allowed to see Nick anymore, like me not seeing him would make me straight. Then, she told me she lost a son. My brother sort of lost it on her then and told her she would be losing two sons. Dad told her to leave. She stayed with friends for awhile. We actually just really spoke for the first time recently. She apologized, but to be honest, I'm just not sure I can forgive what she said. I want to move forward, and I don't want to be the reason my family is broken, but she was the one that broke it. I'm not sure if I'm expected to be the one to repair it, but right now it just seems too hard."

Wow. I definitely am not the one someone needs to go to when they need a pep-talk. I should have sent James out to speak to him.

He sighs again.

"I would hope that he wouldn't react that badly. But I'm sure that's what you thought and hoped for too. I do think the rest of my family would be on my side, but I don't want there to have to be sides. I just don't understand how wanting to be true to yourself makes people so angry. It doesn't affect their lives in anyway, the only person it affected is the one who had to hide it for so long out of fear."
"I thought I was never going to be ready. I was ready to come out to my parents when I was engaged or something," I say with a small laugh. "To be honest, I'm not really sure if I'd even be out right now if my Dad didn't see Nick and I kissing that one day, but I'm happy it happened. I underestimated my Dad and it was nice to be proven wrong with how I thought he may react. He's been so great. Maybe you don't have to come out right now. Look, you told Nick and I today. That's two more people that know than yesterday. Just take things a day at a time. Maybe tell your brother or your sister. Are they older or younger?"
"My sister is older, she's twenty. My brother is fourteen."
"Maybe start with one of them."

He pulls me into a hug. Maybe I did help him with my horrific story. It wasn't all bad. My relationships with my Dad, James, Mia, and even Mia's parents got so much stronger. And now it's up to me with regard to what kind of relationship I'll have with my Mum moving forward. She caused the fracture but I get to decide how long it'll take the fracture to heal.

"You know, you have so many people in your corner. But I know it's still scary. I hope it goes differently with your Dad than it did with my Mum. Even if he is taken back by it, I hope he handles it with grace. No kid should have to deal with a parent acting how my Mum did."
"I'm sorry that happened to you. I'm glad you and Nick found each other, you know? You're really good for him."

I smile. I know all the good Nick has given my life so it's nice to hear from someone so close to him that he thinks I'm good for him.

"You think so? He's really good for me too I'd like to think."

SO SORRY GUYS! I PROMISE I WILL TRY TO POST MORE FREQUENTLY. Now, question. Do we want a chapter in Michael's POV coming out to his family? It won't be the next chapter, it might not even be until a little further down in the story. Just want your opinions! <3