Lush Life (Tradley au)

Chapter 7- Tristan's POV

Brad being brave enough to tell me about the break up he went through has kind of inspired me to try and be brave as well, which is why I'm currently sitting on a chair in the kitchen waiting for my mum to come back downstairs. I'd previously told her that I needed to talk to her, to which her reply was 'Give me 5 minutes, then I'm all ears.'

Part of me feels guilty about the fact that I haven't come up to my mum yet but I told Brad I was gay within about 10 minutes of knowing him, but equally he did effectively prompt me into telling him. He was totally cool about it, but then again it would have been weird if he wasn't, given that he's gay himself. 

I'm cut off from daydreaming about Brad by hearing the door open and my mum saying "What was it you wanted, sweetheart?"

I turn around to look at her than ask nervously "Can you sit with me?"

She nods, looking slightly concerned. "Of course I can. Are you ok?"

I'm silent for a second as she sits down next to me, then I take a deep, shaky breath and say "I need to tell you something."

My mum smiles softly and reaches out to take my trembling hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. I slowly start to talk again. "I've kind of been wondering what's up with my life for a while, and I realised that... I'm not into girls. I'm gay." 

I squeeze my eyes shut, not wanting to see her reaction. Instead, I immediately relax as I feel a pair of warm arms wrap around me and pull me into a hug, the same arms that had comforted me as a child. My mum kisses the top of my head and whispers "Baby, I'll always love you no matter what." I smile, looking up at her and she rubs my back lightly, then continues "I don't care if you're gay, straight, whatever. Well, I do care but I don't mind. I want you to be happy, that's what's important."

"Thank you." I say, hugging her back. We sit like that for a while until I eventually say "Did you know?"

I feel her laugh slightly. "I wouldn't say I knew as such. I did wonder though. Mums always know these things." She lets go of me and says "I'm proud of you. Go and do something nice."

I head out into the garden, looking over to Brad's house. The last time I was there, we fell asleep together with him curled up in my lap, and when I woke up I put him to bed properly. I smile to myself as I remember how sweet he looked when he was asleep.

"What're you smiling at?" I hear a now familiar voice call, and I look up to see Brad leaning over the fence. 

"I'm just in a good mood." I reply. "I finally told my mum I was gay, and she basically hugged me and told me that she'd always love me, no matter what." 

Brad laughs, and I can't help but admire him. "My mum told me that she didn't care whether I liked boys or girls as long as she still got grandkids." I snort with laughter in response. "Anyway," Brad asks. "Does your dad know?"

Brad's only asked about my dad once, and I didn't reply at the time as I didn't know what to say. In the end, I decide that I may as well just tell Brad the truth. "I told him first, and it was kind of what tipped him over the edge. Things had been rocky between him and my mum for a while, but he walked out after saying to me  that he didn't want a freak for a son, but he didn't tell my mum that part. Anyway, he walked out and I haven't even spoken to him since."

I must have got slightly emotional saying that, as Brad reaches over to wipe a tear away. "I'm sorry to hear that, he sounds like a douche."

"It's not your fault." I say, and even though I feel miserable, I have to smile when I feel Brad take my hand. He's such a nice guy, but he's just my friend. So why am I getting butterflies just from feeling him touch me?

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That chapter was kind of a mess, especially in the middle, sorry. But I cba to redo it as I'm so tired! I finished 6th form induction today, and it was great. Everyone was so nice, and I made actual friends! I know *shock*