I miss you, I'm sorry

Part 11

"Ok, speak." Aj says.

The boys were both sat on Ajs bed, Aj leaning against the headboard, elbows on his knees that were pulled up slightly to his chest. Sharky sat beside him, cross legged facing the boy.

Sharky didnt know where to begin, he didnt want to just blurt out his discovery and scare Aj, but he also didnt want to dance around it either, giving Aj time to push him away or think of an excuse.

"So- Uhm- Ima just say it uh- Aj..." Sharky stutters, grabbing Ajs hands in his own reassuringly, "You know you can trust me with anything right?"

"Yeah..."

"And you know I would never judge you, and nothing can ever make me hate you right?"

"Yeah..." Aj repeats, fearful and confused at what Sharky was getting at, he takes a deep breath not wanting to assume what he was going to say. Its fine there is no way he knows. "Sharky what.. What are you tyna say?"

"I- Aj, are you.. do you..." Aj gives him a nod, eyebrow raised, indicating for Sharky to continue, "are you gay." He spits out quickly.

Aj is taken back, his worst nightmare coming true. He had fought for so hard to keep this a secret, but Sharky had somehow figured it out. H-How did he even do that? Was it that obvious.
Ajs face whitens, eyes widening, and jaw slacked open in shock. He was making fish-mouth movements thinking of what to say.

"I - ew- no. Never- I - Why the fuck would I- theres Zayden and I- ew."

Ajs stuttering only confirmed Sharkys theory, but he was a little taken back at the feighned disgust in Aj. "Aj there is nothing gross about it. You like who you like, no one is going to hate you for it."

Tears well in Ajs eyes, disconnecting his hands from Sharkys shaking them nervously, as his breathing gets faster, too overwhelmed to think straight.

"I - you hate me. You hate me. You're like him, you hate me. Im disgusting-"

"Aje. Aj. Stop. Calm down. I dont hate you, I could never ever hate you, and youre not doing anything wrong." Sharky attempts to sooth Aj, but Aj had gone into a state of panic.

All his fathers words shooting down at him, everything coming back.

"YOURE DISGUSTING! HOW DID I EVEN END UP WITH A SON LIKE YOU" Ajs dad yells down at the sobbing 18 year old. "Youre a disappointment— you know, you know what, Leave. Get out of MY house. and dont return, until you fix your illness."

...

"Ayaanle, I have a solution to your disease," Ajs dad speaks to him over the phone, Aj hadnt seen him or the rest of his family in weeks, not since his dad had thrown him out. He was lucky to have found a job, and had made good friends with a guy called Amin. Amin had offered to let Aj stay at his, knowing he was couch hopping between friends houses. Aj hadnt told him why hed been kicked out, just something about his dad.

"I- huh- Dad, it doesnt work like that," Aj tries to plead, but is inturrupted by his dad yelling over him.

"Dont 'doesnt work like that' me. I know how to fix people like you, Its only because you havent had a girlfriend yet. Come to my house and I'll show you."

...

Aj is pulled out of his manic state by Sharky rubbing his back, whispering calming words into his ear. "Shh, its ok Aj. Its ok. Youre ok."

"I- you dont hate me?" Aj whispers softly.

"Of course I dont Aj. Theres nothing wrong with that. I promise you, I dont hate you, no one should hate you,"