The Only Exception // Rilaya

.19. {Riley POV}

I watched Maya in awe as she confessed her orientation to her step father. I'd known his secret for a long time. My dad told me several Christmas' ago. It was the first Christmas I was allowed to stay up with the adults. Uncle Shawn had just been dumped by his seventh girlfriend since Angela and started drinking up the alcohol as soon as he entered the room. By 10:30  he was wasted and started venting to my father about the girl. At some point we three were the only people left in the room. Shawn leaned  in and kissed my father square on the lips. My dad pulled back and started to chastise his friend but the man collapsed in his lap and began to snore. He was asleep. 

I joined them on the couch and looked up at my father's concerned face. 

"Dad, why did Uncle Shawn do that?" I asked. I'd never seen two men kissing before. 

"Uncle Shawn is what is known as bisexual. And that means he likes girls and boys. You see Riley, Uncle Shawn has had a crush on me since we were teenagers. I thought he was over it, but I guess not." He said with a sad smirk as he petted his friend's mop of brown hair. 

I left the subject alone until my dad motioned for me to stand up and then laid Shawn out on the couch. He then took my hand and led me to my room. 

"Dad?" I asked sleepily as he pulled the covers up under my chin. "Can a boy like a boy?" 

"Of course!" My father sat down on the side of my bed. There are so many people in the world. And just as their personalities differ so does their sexuality. I can't wait til you find yours. It's going to be beautiful." He smiled and kissed my forehead. I smiled back as he left the room. 

When I heard the door click I jumped out of bed and ran to my bay window to let Maya in. 

"About time!" She jokingly complained. 

"I'm sorry something happened." I explained vaguely. I was still perplexed by the discovery I'd made. Maya could see this. 

"You okay Riles?" She asked taking my hand. A warm feeling coursed through my body. It was a feeling I'd convinced myself was wrong and not normal and so I pushed it down and ignored it. 

"Yeah, I'm okay." I said with a smile. 

"Good." Maya laid her head on my shoulder. "Marry Christmas Riley." She sighed. She seemed distracted as well. 

"Marry Christmas, Peaches." I sighed back. 

Right then and there I named the warm feeling charging through my limbs. I gave it the title of love. I was in love with my friend. My twelve year old self smiled at the realization. I had found my sexuality. My father would be so pleased. 

"Did anything worth mentioning happen tonight?" Maya asked. 

I hesitated before answering. 

"Maya I found out that boys can like boys and girls can like girls. I gushed hoping she would agree with me. "I also found something."

Maya sat up, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"My dad used to called those people people faggots and twinkies. He used to tell me that those people deserved to die. He said they were wrong." Maya said. 

"Oh..." I sighed fighting back the tears and hurt. The girl I loved was telling me she believed people like me should die. I would learn soon later that she didn't believe this. She was only trying to suppress her own feelings. 

"Anyways." She broke the silence. "What did you find?" She asked excited. 

"Um, nothing important." I chuckled the lie nervously. And so began the years of hiding and trying to correct my feelings with heterosexual relationships. "What about you? Did your dad send you anything?" I asked faking a smile. I knew the answer even as the words were leaving my mouth. I could see the redness of her eyes. 

"No." She lowered her gaze and tears began to fill her eyes. 

"I'm sorry Maya" I cooed inviting her to lay her head on my lap. I soothed her to sleep liked I'd done every year prior by caressing her beautiful blonde locks. I fell asleep there on the bay window soon after she did. 

The next morning I woke up, Maya was gone and I was tucked into my bed. 

I was sad to see she had left without saying goodbye but I was also glad she wasn't there to see how sad I was as the full realization of what took place the night before hit me. I had been excited to tell my father that I'd found my sexuality but the words Maya spoke to me stopped me and I chose to keep it hidden. 

Even though the three years of hiding were torture I wouldn't change a thing. The way we came together was too perfect to change. 

Maya brought me back to the present as she took my hand and looked up into my eyes with hope and happy tears. I couldn't help myself. I leaned in and kissed her sweetly on the lips. She was shocked and I suspect slightly embarrassed that I'd done it in front of Shawn, but I didn't care. I loved her and I didn't care who saw.