Moonbow | Tyrus

Ten

TJ's POV

Cyrus and I break apart, and the weight of my fear comes plummeting down on me. She saw us. I didn't even think that she might come home. I'm an idiot. 

Cyrus is smart. He senses the rising tension and stands up, saying, "I'll let you two talk."

Amber steps aside to let my boyfriend pass and exit the house. After he's gone, Amber strolls over and leans her elbow on the top of the piano. I can't read her face. She doesn't seem disgusted or excited. She mostly just looks like she's lost in thought. I wish I could hear what's going on inside her head so I could know what I should brace myself for. 

"So..." she says, interrupting the long awkward silence. 

I have to say something. I can't just sit here not talking. So I suck in all the courage I can find and force the words out. 

"Cyrus is my boyfriend. I'm kinda...gay."

A smile spreads on Amber's face as she lets out a short laugh and says, "No shit." 

I release the breath I've been holding in. Now that I've told her, I don't regret it. The air is suddenly so much smoother in my lungs, and the heaviness dissolves into nothing. 

"I wish you would've told me sooner," Amber says after a moment.

"Really?" I respond. "Why?

"Because then I would've told you that I'm a lesbian."

That takes me a second to process. We've both been keeping this secret from each other for years, yet we could've shared it. We could've had someone in our family to confide in and relate to, but we were both too scared. Fear really has the tendency to wreck things that have the potential to be good. 

Out of nowhere, I end up laughing, as though all my nerves don't know where to go now, but they need to be set free. It's not long before Amber join in, and she comes to sit down beside me on the piano bench. 

"So," she says again, "I assume you haven't told Mom and Dad?"

I shake my head. "Have you?"

"No," she answers. "But I want to."

"Same. I just don't know how they'd take it."

"Well, you know," she starts, "I don't know if it'd be harder or easier for them, but it'd sure be easier for us if we told them together."

We could tell them together. That's a possibility I never considered before. I just always thought I was the only gay one in the family.

"You don't think having them find out that two of their kids are gay at the same time would be a little earth-shaking for them?" I say.

"Nah," Amber replies. "They have three other kids who are straight."

I furrow my brows. "They have four."

Amber sucks in some air through clenched teeth before letting out a laugh and saying, "Yeah, um, Lesley's roommate isn't just her roommate."

My mouth opens at the realization. "Wow, okay. I guess that's why she's in B.C."

"She just decided not to tell our parents at all," Amber explains.

"But she told you?"

"Not exactly. I found her Tumblr from when she was in high school, and...well... Bi pride flags everywhere."

That makes me smile. I'm not the only one. Two of my siblings had to go through this same worry. All this time, I thought I was alone. I thought I was the odd one out. I thought it was pitch black out when there was really a moonbow glowing that I neglected to see.