What Remains (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 5

7 years ago

"Congratulations, aunt Sarah," Carter smiled up at his aunt and hugged her, attempting to wrap his arms around her wide, white wedding dress.

"Thank you, Carter! You've grown a lot since I last saw you," Sarah smiled down at her nephew. "Are you enjoying the wedding so far?" she asked.

Carter nodded and glanced from his mother back at his aunt. "I really want to try the cake, though," he said with a soft chuckle.

"In just a bit, honey. There are more people who need to congratulate your aunt, after all," Carter's mother said before she gave a hug to her sister and congratulated her as well. "Sorry again that Carl couldn't make it. He's been so busy with his new job lately," she said.

Even though both Carter and his mother had dark brown hair, aunt Sarah had blonde hair and Carter wondered if she had dyed it, or if she was born with it. Her eyebrows were darker colored than her hair, so he figured it was dyed.

"So, will the next wedding be yours?" Sarah smiled and gently ruffled her nephew's hair a bit. "Do you have a special someone already?"

Carter's mother let out a chuckle and placed a hand on her son's shoulder. "No, I don't think Carter has someone he wants to marry. Unless there's something you need to tell me?" the woman asked and looked at her son with a teasing smile.

Carter looked back at her, thinking about her question for a moment before he glanced back up at Sarah. "I'd marry Josh," he said.

Sarah burst out in laughter and shook her head. "Oh sweetie, you can't marry a boy. That's called gay. That's not legal here," she said, attempting to stifle her laughter.

Carter's mother gave a nervous laugh along before resting her hand on Carter's back. "Right, well, we'll go get something to drink. We don't want to hold the line up," she said. She gave her sister a kiss on her cheek before gently pushing her son to walk.

Carter was rather confused by his aunt's comment and thought about it as they walked until they sat down at one of the tables. He had heard of the term "gay" before but he had never put a lot of thought in it.

"Mom?" he asked, "What's gay? Isn't that when two boys are in love with each other?"

Carter's mother shifted in her chair a bit. "Yes, honey. When two people of the same gender are in love with each other, they are called "gay". When two boys or two girls fall in love with each other," she answered.

Carter looked at the table. Being gay, being in love with someone with the same gender... was that what he was? He couldn't help but think at Josh at that moment, wondering if he was in love with him. He then turned back to his mother. "What did aunt Sarah mean that it wasn't legal here? What is wrong with being gay?"

Carter's gave a quick glance at Sarah, standing behind her with her new husband from afar, getting congratulated by guests, before she looked back at Carter. "Gay marriage is not legal here. Most religious people don't tolerate homosexuality because the bible forbids it."

Carter frowned a bit. "Why?"

Carter's mother shook her head and placed her hand on her son's, rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand. "I don't know, honey."

Now

Being gay. A topic that had crossed Carter's mind so many countless times ever since he firstly began to truly understand what it meant. It didn't take him all that long to realize who and what he really was. He guessed he had always known it. At least, ever since he met Josh. Though he only began to realize it years later; he would never see girls the way he was apparently supposed to see them.