Highschool Sweethearts [boyxboy one-shots]

Coming Out

 August before Freshman year

Ryle Salvador stared at the map of Madison High School, trying to read the slightly smudged numbers that told which lockers were located in each hall. He checked the other sheet of paper he was holding, the one that told him his locker number and combination, but held no other clues as to how to find it.

“Want to look for mine or yours first?” his best friend, Shane Knight, asked, looking up from his own map and locker assignment.

“Whichever,” Ryle replied. “Why didn't they point out what hallways had what lockers during orientation yesterday?”

Shane shrugged. “I thought our tour guide sucked. She was too concerned with running into her boyfriend leading that other group every five minutes.”

“I hope when I'm a senior I don't have a stalker like that.”

His friend snorted. “Come on, I think I know where mine is, at least.”

Ryle followed him up the stairs, silently complaining about how useless their freshman orientation had been the day before. By the end of it they had both just wanted to go home and save finding their lockers for another day, unlike the rest of their classmates. That meant no one was there to point them in the right direction now.

They walked up and down several flights of stairs, found a few dead-ends, walked in a few circles, and made several wrong turns, but finally Shane held his papers up in triumph. “Found it!”

Ryle waited patiently while Shane tried the combination, and swung the locker open with a satisfying whine of metal hinges. At that moment, Ryle had a mental reality check.

“We're in high school,” he stated. “It's the real thing. Real classes and tests that actually matter. And a totally different social atmosphere, with bullies and cliques and all that.”

Shane looked up at him from the dial on his locker, a serious expression on his face. “Ryle, I have to tell you something.”

Ryle was startled by his friend's tone. “Okay.”

“I'm telling you because you're my best friend and I trust you more than anyone else in the world.” He took a deep breath. “I'm gay.”

Ryle stared at him for a moment, not sure how to respond. He was sure he was supposed to be surprised, shocked, upset, or something like that. But he wasn't. In fact, he couldn't see how it could possibly change anything about how he looked at his friend. And that was just it.

Shane looked like he might be sick. “Are you going to say anything?”

Ryle shrugged. “I don't care, Shane. Well, I mean, I care,” he amended, seeing Shane go pale. “I'm just not bothered. You're my best friend, and I want it to stay that way.”

Shane smiled and Ryle could see the relief on his face. “Thank you, Ryle. I knew I could trust you.”

Ryle returned the smile. “Can we go find my locker now?”

As they started back through the maze of hallways in search of his locker, Ryle found himself wanting to question Shane. How had he figured it out? Was he sure? When did he know? Had he told anyone else?

That was the first time Ryle ever admitted to himself that he wasn't quite sure of his own sexuality.

_______________

 February, Freshman year

Ryle Salvador had spent the last six months trying to figure himself out, ever since his best friend since third grade, Shane Knight, came out to him. Ryle had casually asked Shane numerous questions about how he'd come to decide what his sexuality was, and he wondered if Shane was having suspicions about him. If he wondered about Ryle, he didn't say anything, though.