More Than

Remorse

"Shit, shit, shit!"  Was the only sentence that was coherent in Jeremy's thoughts. He was currently sitting in front of his parents, who held his phone with their heads shaking.
"You were gay, and didn't tell us?"
"Mom, I'm bisexual, not gay." Jeremy snapped. "There's a difference."
"That still doesn't change the fact that you are dating another GUY!" His mom looked on the verge of tears, as if her whole world was being shattered.
"You're a teenager, you're hormonal and trying to figure things out. Nothing more." His dad said, with a indifferent tone. "You'll grow out of it, I'm sure."
Jeremy felt like the floor had been pulled out from under him. He couldn't understand why if he loved Michael so much, why his parents couldn't be happy for him. He had wished he had never left his phone at home that day, so maybe his life could be halfway normal. His parents had read through his texts, and found several instances of him flirting with Michael. They were disgusted and distraught at the thought that their son could be gay!
"That's it. No more sleepovers with guys. Since you're so content with being gay." His mom sneered at him.
Jeremy felt his broken heart shatter once more. "Mom I'm bisexual, not gay." It was almost a whimper at this point. He thought of Rich. He was close with him, in a completely platonic way of course, and didn't want to lose his friendship. "Mom, I still have friends who are guys. I-I don't want to lose their friendship." He replied, voice quiet and shaking.
"Well, who knows what could happen in that room! Once you grow older and feel real lust, you'll have no control over yourself." replied his mother, as his father sat in silence, nodding. Jeremy sat almost infuriated at his parents, who clearly didn't get the picture. He was trying to explain that he still had friends of the same gender that he didn't want anything to do with them romantically.
"And sleepovers at other people's houses are off limits." His mom spoke with arrogant authority.
"Son, we're not trying to punish you, you know that, right?" his dad said, sounding like he might actually care. "Yes, I know" Jeremy replied, almost as a practiced chant.
"Like your dad said, it's all just you being a teenager, with your raging hormones. Just a phase, nothing more."
Every word that escaped his parents lips felt like a knife being twisted inside him. "So, do you think it is a phase? Or do you think you could be serious?" His mom asked him, with a suddenly sweet tone. Jeremy sat in shocked silence as he held back tears, not knowing what to say.
"Your mother asked a question, aren't you going to respond?" His dad questioned him, impatiently.
"I-I need some time to think about it, that's all. I just need a moment alone to myself. If you'll excuse me." He said, desperate to get out of the situation.
"Of course. Take as much time as you need." His mom sang sweetly. With that, Jeremy went swiftly and quietly up to his room.