This Wasn't Supposed to Happen (boyxboy)

8. Edge of Sanity

“What would you do, hypothetically speaking of course, if one of your good guy—man friends kinda just came out to you and told you that they liked another guy?” I asked Christian awkwardly. At the moment we sat in his bed room playing some video game that I didn’t really care for.

            “Are you saying you’re in love with me?” Christians asked staring at the screen intensely as he smashed the control buttons with his thumbs.

            “Oh, god no.” I said, smashing buttons just as intensely. “Ew.”

            “What, are you saying I’m not attractive to gay guys?”

            “I said hypothetically speaking! And I said one of your guy friends. Not including me.” I added the last part quickly, only realizing after how suspicious that made me sound.

            “I really wouldn’t give a shit.” He answered. “Their genitals are theirs and it can like whoever the fuck it wants to like.” It was quiet for a few seconds before he added “Anyway, that’s a really stupid question to ask me considering that I have two moms.”

            “Oh, right,” I said slowly. I forgot he had two moms. 

            Christian paused the game suddenly and turned towards me. “Andrew.”

            I stared at him waiting for him to continue, but when he didn’t I said. “Yes . . .?”

            “Is there something you would like to tell me?”

            “No . . .”

            “Are you sure?”

            I looked away from him, allowing my eyes to wander the room before they landed on a poster of a half-naked girl. “Hey, when did you—“

            “Don’t change the subject,” he said cutting me off. “I’ve been friends with you since we were five. This means, I know you very well. This also means, I know how you are when you start to like someone.” When I didn’t say anything he continued. “So are you going to tell me who you like or not?”

            “Not.” I answered, turning back to the video game.

            Christian reached over and ripped the remote out my hands. “Tell me.”

            I looked away in shame, but knowing Christian he wouldn’t leave me alone until I answered. “I like a guy.”

            “And?”

            “And what? What more do you want?” I asked. “Is it not bad enough that I like someone of the same gender?”

            “It’s not bad at all. Like I said, you can like whoever the fuck you want to like. It shouldn’t matter if it’s a girl or a boy.”

            “That’s easy for you to say.”

            “It should be easy for everyone to say.” Christian said, getting kind of irritated. “In an ideal world it shouldn’t matter and you shouldn’t have to be afraid. So you like a guy, who cares? The only opinion that matters is yours.”

            I didn’t really have anything to say to that. I mean, I guess Christian would know a lot about this because of his parents, but it wouldn’t change the fact that others would be disgusted. I couldn’t help but wonder what my family would think. Would I be disowned? Would my dad beat the shit out of me? Would I be burned at the stake? These were all things to worry about, especially with my weird family. You never really knew what to expect.