This story is just Calum, but it is LGBTQ+
pt. 1
"Cal why are you crying?" Mali sat on tentatively the edge of my bed
"It's just...." I wiped my eyes on my sleeve "mom and dad always say that God didn't make gay people, Satan did...... I just, I just don't get it"
"What about it?" she shook her head in annoyance
She was always having yelling matches with mom and dad. Mom just told me to lock my door and plug my ears, or pray, or something, but I would listen through the door crack anyways.
A lot of their fights seemed to be about me; Mali thought that they weren't raising me right and she would accuse them of sheltering me... but it was confusing because mom always just tells me to pray on things and to be courteous and to not make scenes. I had assumed they taught Mali the same, but she got mad and sometimes wouldn't come home for days. When she did come home they wouldn't acknowledge each other, and when they did, it was just more yelling.
"Well.... they always also always say 'love thy neighbor' but how can I love them if they're gay?..... cuz like Satan created them or whatever..."
"Why you wondering about this stuff?" She cocked her head
"Um.... I mean no reason" I looked askant
"Cal." she crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. I was silent, picking at my finger nails "Calum tell me"
I was shaking "I- um....." My voice dropped to a whisper ".... I have a crush....."
"On a boy?" she finished my sentence
"Mhmm..." I nodded my head, still scared
Her eyes were wider than usual and she was contemplating what I said "Are you gonna tell dad?"
She shook her head fervently "Only if you want me too.... but Cal, you can be whoever you want to be, no ones happiness matters more than your own"
"But mom and dad-" I tried to think
"But mom and dad nothing" she cut me off "buddy-" she sat next to me "you're not wrong, they're wrong. They're wrong for not accepting people who are different and being gay or just being whatever you want to be, is okay"
