I'm Glad Your House Was Demolished | Kuffy

Six

When Cyrus came out to me, he cried, but only a few tears, and then it was okay. I took his hand, and I told him that he's no different, and I accepted him, and that was enough to make him smile. Comparing that with the echo of this avalanche now is overwhelming. Kira's hands come down from her face to hold my wrists and I hug her on the floor. Her sobs slowly disappear, like she must be running low on energy. 

Even when she's finished, I keep my arms around her for a moment longer, wanting to make sure I catch the last of her feelings rather than leaving them for her to deal with on her own. Eventually, she lets me go and pushes herself to sit up straighter, signalling to me that it's time to get out of the way. Reluctantly, I remove my hold on her and change my position from kneeling to sitting on the floor. 

Kira takes in a few long breaths before asking, "Buffy, what do I do?"

"Well, first thing's first," I respond. "There is nothing wrong with you."

She lets out a sigh. "You know, I hear that, but I just... Everything I've ever been told is about how I shouldn't be this way, that this is all in my head or a phase that I'll get over."

"Do you think it's a phase?" I ask. 

She pauses for a moment before shaking her head. 

"Okay, so we know that was false," I conclude. "Kira, contrary to what you've been told, it's completely okay to be gay. That doesn't make you any less valid of a person, and anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are doesn't deserve you."

Kira fidgets with the sleeves of her shirt, stretching them over her hands and twisting them around, while I talk to her. The strangest part of all this isn't that she's gay, or even that she has emotions. It's that I'm talking to her the way I would talk to any of my friends if they were in this situation. For some reason, I actually kind of care about her. 

"I hear you," she says, "and I want to believe you, but I—I don't know how."

"Lucky for you, you aren't alone in feeling the way you do," I state. "There are lots of things out there to help you learn how."

She gives me a faint smile, and a minute later, she starts to stand up, so I do the same. 

"Thanks," she says once she's on her feet. 

It looks like she's about to add something more, but she recoils and just smiles again. 

"You're welcome," I reply. 

"I think I'm gonna go take a shower now," she says, "try to wash the tears out of my hair."

She lets out a tiny laugh, and I nod, saying, "Good idea."

She turns around and makes her way out of my room. Once she's gone, I pull open the draw of my desk and take out a sticky note and a blue pen. On it, I write two things: 'www.equallyblessed.org' and 'www.thetrevorproject.org'. I press the note onto the frame around the keyboard of her laptop then fold the device closed. 

________________________________________

The next morning is significantly less awkward than previous days. Kira takes forever in the washroom, as usual, which makes her run out of time to eat breakfast, so after I finish scarfing down my own mini wheats, I fill up a bowl for her. My mom watches me as I do that.

"You extra hungry today?" she questions. 

"It's for Kira," I explain. 

A pleased smile spreads on her face. "Nice to see that you two are becoming friends."

"It's just cereal," I say. "She has to eat."

My mom just grins and looks back down at her magazine.