It's OK

Chapter 1

Danny loved to look at Adam. He loved the way his eyes lit up and that wide smile that forever plastered itself on his face. Danny loved everything about Adam but, he wasn't supposed to. No one had ever said being gay was something other than disgusting and wrong.

He knew he was gay, ever since 6th grade. The only person he told was Martha. She was easy to talk to. Martha promised she'd never tell anyone and he trusted her. After all, she was his best girlfriend, at least she was during 6th grade. They had drifted apart after she had gone out with Randy. Randy didn't like Danny. He didn't really like anyone who wasn't Martha. Last year Randy got into trouble for beating a gay 9th grader half to death. His father is the chief of police so, of course, he didn't get into any serious trouble, just a slap on the wrist.

His parents didn't even stand up for him and Billy Snider hung himself the day after the trial. Once Randy picked you for a target, that was it, your life was over. You would be ridiculed and tossed aside like you were nothing. He remembered the day like it was yesterday. He was just beginning to have true feelings for Adam and they confused him. He knew he was supposed to have feelings for girls but didn't know what it meant to have feelings for boys. Martha was the only one who let him expose his feelings. Danny remembered the day like it was yesterday.

"Danny? You seem upset. What's wrong?" Martha asked, looking at him with concern.

"Can you keep a secret?" Danny asked.

"Of course I can! What kind of friend would I be if I didn't?" Martha laughed. Her smile faded when she saw the serious look on Danny's face.

"I mean it. You can't tell anyone, ever!" Danny begged. Martha nodded and smiled slightly.

"You can tell me. That's what friends are for!" she laughed.

"I think I'm in love with Adam," Danny admitted. He looked embarrassed, scared, defeated. Martha was silent for awhile before she finally opened her mouth to speak.

"Well then why don't you tell him?" she finally suggested.

"I can't! What if he doesn't feel the same? What if he hates me after? I can't tell him, he'd never talk to me again," Danny cried. He was terrified. What if Adam never spoke to him again, just because he was gay?

"Well then don't. I'm not going to tell anyone," Martha soothed softly. Danny smiled. He had felt better by telling someone about his fear of losing Adam. He had felt better knowing someone would keep his secret.

"Danny! Let's go Adam's waiting!" his mother called up the stairs, snatching him away from his thoughts. His eyes darted to the clock. 'Crap it's already 7:00!' he thought to himself as he rushed over to his dresser and fumbled through it, looking for the shirt he had wanted to wear that day. When he couldn't find it he settled for a plain blue shirt and a pair of black jeans.

"Danny? Are you coming?" Adam called up the stairs.

"Yeah hold on!" Danny called back as he ran into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

"Hurry up!" Adam replied, growing impatient.

"Mmm rryynnn," Danny said as he swished the water around in his mouth. He heard Adam laugh from downstairs so he smiled to himself as he spat the water into the sink. He wiped his mouth on the yellow hand towel that his mother had folded on the sink that morning. "Coming!" he called down the stairs. He raced to his room and grabbed his green book bag then went downstairs to see two beautiful emerald green eyes looking at him.

"What happened? Did you sleep in?" Adam asked, his mouth curved into a wide smile as he laughed.

"No, I was just...thinking." he replied, smiling back at Adam.