Caleb's POV
"Come on Caleb! Your taking forever."
I stick out my tongue at my little sister. "Maybe I'm just trying to make you late."
She gasps. "You wouldn't!"
"You're right I wouldn't because I know how important this is to you." It was true, no matter how much I didn't want to go watch a stupid ballet, it was important to her. Cassie's whole ballet class was going to watch an older class of ballet students at one of their shows. It's to help keep them interested in ballet or something like that. The instructor invited the family of her students to come then the student plus family gets to go backstage to meet the main dancers.
Ballet isn't my thing. I'm a track guy, that's what I do. I don't twirl and leap around a stage. I run, long jump and pole vault.
I'm ripped from my thoughts as my sister once again yells at me to hurry up, this time she's accompanied by my mom. "Caleb, darling, I swear. They say women take forever, honestly," she says in an exasperated voice.
"Alright, alright! I'm ready let's go." I jog down the stairs to meet my mom and sister who were already down there since I "took so long."
We all pile in to my mom's car and make our way to the studio thing that the performance is at. Cassie sits in the front row with the rest of her class as Mom and I sit farther back,but only by a few rows. Coppelia is what they are going to perform. The program says it is a great option for getting youngsters interested in classical ballet, but I don't know.
The ballet was actually very good. Compared to most of the ones I've been to at least, but then again those were all little plays put on by a bunch of eleven year olds. Don't get me wrong some of those eleven year olds could dance but then there are the ones that move like chickens with their heads cut off.
After all the bowing and clapping, the miscellaneous people that just came to watch left and the ballet students all gathered by the door to the back of the stage. All the family members hung back a little ways while they waited for the director to come out. Once she did she made an announcement, "We ask that take one family goes in at a time and try to keep it short. I'm sorry to inform all of you that the dancers are not in their costume and make up as they are hot and we would like them to cool down for health safety."
She began to direct a family in the backstage area and we had to wait for a couple more families to go through. "Cassie? Would you like to get you family to come back?" Cassie jumped with excitement and rushed over to us. "Come on! Come on! Come on!" She grabbed our hands and dragged us to the doors.
The lady opened them and we walked through. She lead us all the way to the back and introduced us to the lead female, Story Brooks. I couldn't help but chuckle a little and she just grinned ear to ear. "I get people to laugh with my name all the time and it is great," she said in light voice while she shook my hand. She also shook hands with my mom then gave my sister a hug. They chatted for a brief moment before we moved on to meet the lead male.
Before the lady even directed us all the way over my sister is taking off. "Masen!" She yells and leaps as a guy about my age catches her with a twirl and sets her feet back on the ground. The director looks at us, "As you now know, this is Masen." He ruffles Cassie's hair then holds out a hand for us to shake.
"Hi I'm Masen Shay." His voice was smooth and held a quiet power behind it. My mom shook hands with him briefly where he then moved to me.
"Hi," I say. He grabs my hand and seems to hold it longer than he did with my mom. He also looks me in the eye with this really white smile. I wouldn't tell anyone else but he was gorgeous. I smile back and he releases my hand from his grip with what appears to be a content grin. Cassie looks at him and then to me, giving me this feeling she might have an idea, even just an inkling of an idea of what might have just occurred.
My sister then asks very obviously, "Masen have you been to any LGBT rallies?"
Masen glances at my stunned face which is staring at my younger sibling. Then he looks at my mom who simply says, "Honey that isn't something you can just assume. I'm sorry Masen, sometimes she says before she thinks."
"Oh, no reason to be sorry. I'm openly gay so naturally her whole ballet class knows as I have gone and visited them before." He says this calmly but every word seemed to be calculated as he studied my mom's reaction.
"Oh, okay." That was all she said. It wasn't enough for me to really judge her opinion of the LGBT community. Our family never really talked about our opinion on gay marriage or anything related to gay rights. I had no idea how my parents would take it when I tell them I'm gay which will be a really long time. Before we could proceed with conversation though the director comes back over to tell us that the next family needs to come through so she kindly asked us to leave.
On the way home I decide I will test the waters. "Mom, what are your thoughts on the performers?"
She glances at me and back to the road. Cassie stays quiet in the back seat of the car. I definitely think she suspects something. "I thought the play was really good." I felt as if she specifically didn't answer my question and Cass must have too as she asks, "Yeah Mom but what did you think of Story and Masen? They come visit us sometimes during class and help us out. Masen is super nice and don't tell Story but basically he is the favorite."
She shrugs. "Story seems like a nice girl, pretty too. Does she go to school with you Caleb?"
I wasn't sure if she did as sometimes I'm not the most observant but before I could answer Cassie saves my butt. "She goes to the school in the next town over. But Mom what did you think of Masen?"
"He was nice." That was all she said. Not wanting to push her too much I decide not to ask the burning question, if his sexuality bothers her. We are silent the rest of the way home.
Mom turns the car into the drive and we clamber out. It's dark out and as soon as we are inside I state that I am going to bed. I walk past our kitchen and up the stairs to my room.
I'm laying in my bed after having changed into basket ball shorts to sleep in, when the door connecting my sister and I's bedrooms cracks open. "Caleb?" I hear the quiet whisper of my sister seconds later. She continues, "Are you awake still?" I see the light that has creeped in move as she shifts feet.
"Yeah I'm awake Cass. Is there something you need?"
"Can I come in? I want to talk." By this time her head is sticking in through the open door. I pat the bed for her to come over. I adjust so she has some more room.
"Okay shoot," I say indicating for her to start.
"I guess I don't really know where to start...you trust me right?"
"Of course I do Cass! Why would you think other wise?"
She sighs quite heavily. "Well it's just you are keeping a secret, I can tell, and you haven't told me. I mean I have a suspicion of what I believe it is but...I want to hear it from you."
I raise my eyebrows at her. "Cassie you are right about the secret. It's just that it's not really one that I can just say. I have to work up the courage to tell it." Now it is my turn to sigh. "Though I believe you suspicion is spot on, or at least really close."
She looks at me timidly. "Are you gay?"
