Meant To Be // Minizerk

7

"You're a horrible person. You are the second-worst person ever." Nathan had just walked into the room after returning from his school trip.

"What's the reason this time? And let me guess, the worst is Nils Bjurman. His sadistic mind manipulated poor old Lisbeth took first place by a mile." He really was going to mention one of my favourite books to try and distract me.

"You would need a lot of courage to tell a friend that you're gay and you just pretend like it's a daily occurrence in your life. Simon is lucky that he doesn't have to see you every single day."

"Oh god, are you going to make up some shit about being scared for my reaction and come out too?"

"No I'm not going to come out, but what if I did? Would you say the same thing to me that you did to Simon?"

"Most likely," he really didn't care, "they're all the same. They just want attention, so instead of giving it them I'll give them less."

Nathan needed to realise that nobody cared what he had to say about them, Simon wasn't bothered about what Nathan had to say he was just upset that it took him so much convincing before he finally told him.

"You're disgusting Nathan, you treat people like shit because they're a little bit different and not just anyone, I'm 9 and unsure of my sexuality yet if I were to be gay then you would act like I'm not your half-brother." Shit. Nobody knew that I found out about that.

"You knew?" I walked out of the bedroom with my bag before calling back to Nathan.

"Oh, by the way mom was the worst person." I put my bag by the front door before going to sit in my kitchen.

"Why are you crying? What's happened?" Dad pulls out a chair and sits opposite me looking worried. I didn't even know I was crying.

"Nathan. Simon was his only nice friend and when Simon thought he could trust Nathan he told him he was gay and Nathan said he never wanted to see him again and that he disgusts him." I wiped away the tears that had reformed. "I'm only nine dad. What if I come out as gay? What's Nathan going to say?"

"If Nathan says anything about your sexuality or anyone else's sexuality then I give you permission to hit him." He laughed at his statement, that's the first time I've ever heard him laugh. "I don't know if you knew or not but you're not my biological son, I adopted you as soon as I could. But you're my favourite by a mile."

"I know, I saw the adoption papers when I looked through the boxes in the attic. I didn't want to mention that I found them."

"One day Josh, we'll be victorious, I get out of this house and you can come with me. It will take some time, but I promise we'll be out of here."

"You're the only person in this house that cares about me and my opinion. Thank you."

"No problem, I saw your bag by the door so I'm guessing you're going somewhere."

"Just to the park, I won't be too long."

"I don't mind how long you are out for as long as you're home before it gets dark." He handed me a £5 note from the jar in the cupboard. "I have to go to work so I'm not going to be home until later. Take the money so you haven't got to come back to the house for anything." I hugged him before saying goodbye and leaving the house.

11/11/19