My Straight Best Friend Is Gay

Chapter Three

Have you ever heard of the three time rule? Well, if not this is it:

When you learn something new, see it for the first time, or it just sticks out to you, you are guaranteed to see it at least three times within a week so that it sticks in your mind. Almost always the word, the action, whatever it is, will mean something to you.

I live by this rule. 

I saw the guys kissing in the movie which triggered three things:

1. Zander coming out to me

2. Jake coming out to me

3. Getting a boner after watching two guys make out

Holy hell. Am I gay? How do I even figure out if I am? Should I ask Zander? What do I do about this? Should I, like, watch gay porn? Was I just horny or something? Should I sleep with someone? I mean, Joanna seems more than willing...

OH, SHUT UP, DYLAN!

I've been sitting in the store for two hours doing nothing after my... little problem went away. I haven't done anything else considering no one has stopped by Concrete Wave. I watched a couple people run by, but that was it. It's now almost noon and I should start getting ready to close for lunch, but I can't make myself. I'm just sitting here staring at the counter as a million things run through my mind.

I hear a ding and look up, surprised to see anyone in here.

"Hey." Zander says with a smile. I don't respond, just stare at him. I don't know what to do. Should I ask him? What would he say? I start to freak out a little and I guess Zander notices. "Woah, hey, are you okay, D?" I don't hesitate to shake my head and he walks around the counter and kneels infront of my seat. "What's wrong?" He asks quietly. I open my mouth to say something, anything, but nothing comes out. I shake my head and Zander furrows his eyebrows at me.

"I-I... How.. Can... Help?" Is all I manage to get out. Zander continues to look confused, but places his hand on my knee in a reassuring gesture. I stare down at it and think about it. Is it normal to feel really hot where his hand is touching me? Would I like it if he moved his hand higher, despite him being a guy? Why does his hand there make me want to touch it?

"You gotta give me a few more words than that." Zander jokes and I shake my head before a smile comes onto my face. Breathe, Dylan. You're fine. Just... talk.

"I- How do I ask this? Um, when did- no, how did you know you were gay?" I ask him. He chuckles a little before he stands up straight and hops onto the counter.

"Well, let's see. I, uh, guess I had a crush on this guy and I got really upset when I saw him kissing a girl. I didn't want to believe that I was jealous, but I really was. And it was sort of, I guess, confirmed when I... you know... to him." Zander tells me as he gives me a dirty gesture. I smirk. I wonder who the guy was. Zander smiles at me, but I see his cheeks turn pink.

"Hey, man, don't be embarassed. I just- I need to tell you something." I say slowly. He nods and looks at me with genuine interest. I rake a hand through my hair and let out a heavy breath I didn't know I was holding. "You know the three time rule?" He nods. "Well, during the movie we saw the two guys kissing and I genuinely wanted to know what it was like to be gay. Not because I wanted to be gay, just because it's me and I like knowing things." Zander chuckles at this and I continue. "Then, you came out to me. So that was the first 'three timer'. And this morning, Jake came into the store and we were talking about New York, so I asked if he slept with any girls and, basically, he laughed and told me he was gay."

"He's WHAT?" Zander yells, clearly shocked. I nod in understanding.

"I know, right? It was crazy. But anyways, then, and sorry this gets personal," He nods in understanding. "These two guys ran past to the end of the pier and a few minutes later they came up the ladder. They then started to make out, like I mean crazy make out." Zander's eyes widen a little.