VICE

| THE NOT-SO-BIG REVEAL |

The dinner table was silent, with the only sounds being heard were from silverware clanging against porcelain.

Nicky had her phone on her lap, picking it up every time it buzzed.

"Nicky, dear, I thought I taught you that using your cellphone at the dinner table is rude!" Their mother scolded from across the table. "Now, put that thing down and enjoy dinner with your family!"

"But-"

"No buts, young lady!"

Nicky made a slight annoyed snorting sound but complied anyway.

Their father cleared his throat from the head of the table and they all turned to look at him. He had a habit of clearing his throat whenever he wanted to start a conversation with anybody. His brown eyes were as cold as ever and his dirty blonde hair sat on his head as it always did -in a businesslike manner.

Nicky had inherited their father's dirty blonde hair and Austin had inherited their mother's dark brown locks. They both had their father's brown eyes but instead of the cold, unfriendly hue their father's had, their eyes were big and much more welcoming.

"How was school today son?" He began, his voice a deep rumbling sound that was flat and void of much emotion or inflection. "Cause any trouble today?"

"Uh.. n-no sir." Austin replied, his eyes suddenly glued to the glass of water in front of him like it was his new favorite thing.

"Nicole?" He simply asked, assuming she would know what he was gonna say anyway.

"Nope, always a good girl!" She said, feigning a smile and exaggerated enthusiasm at him.

"That's good to hear," again, his voice was as flat as the pancakes their mom usually made for breakfast . "I wouldn't want you wasting your precious time on nonsense."

This is not gonna be good, Austin thought to himself as he braced himself for the heart attack he was either gonna cause himself or his father.

Nicky momentarily turned to her brother and immediately knew that it was now or never. He looked like he was gonna back out and she knew that if he did, she wouldn't get the fifty percent off brown leather Louis Vuitton boots that Claire had promised her.

"Mom, dad?" she called out before she could stop herself.

"Yes Nicole!" they replied in unison, turning their full attention to her.

The nervous smile she was offering told Austin everything he needed to know - she had just tipped the first tile and now the dominoes were about to start falling one after the other.

She looked over at him and gave him a small smile which was meant to tell him something but he couldn't seem to be able to decipher it as he was now in a temporary frozen state.

"Austin has something to tell you!" Again, she couldn't stop herself from blurting out those words.

You know that state where you are put on a stage with a full audience and you have stage fright so you start to feel suspended, with no idea how you are supposed to react and your only solution is to wing it? Well, that's how Austin felt with his family staring at him anticipating a reaction.

"What is it baby ?" His mother asked sweetly.

"Well...ummm..you see..umm..uhh..." His throat suddenly felt really dry and he had to take a huge gulp of water to lubricate it.

"Get on with it boy." His father said, impatiently .

Was Austin really about to do this? Was he really about to reveal something false about himself, probably worry his parents for nothing, just because he couldn't bear to see his ego bruised among his peers? Was he really in that much need for approval from his friends ? And would he ever be able to take it back without much effect on his current normal life ? He suddenly realized that there was not much he could do at this moment. He only had two choices; man up ..or be labeled a wimp. He couldn't have that now, could he ?

He cleared his throat, mostly to check if it was actually still working then braced himself for what he was gonna say next, "Dad... Mom -"

"Oh, for god's sake! Did you kill someone?" His mom asked impatiently.

"No!" He replied immediately.

"Then why do you look so pale ?" She continued . "Are you sick baby ?" Worry was starting to show in her sparkly blue eyes.

She reached out across the table and squeezed his hand with her long, slender fingers.

"Mom, I'm ok. Nothing to worry about."

"Then tell us what's troubling you. Whatever it is, I'm here for you. You know that, right?" She turned a head slightly to look at her husband then turned back to Austin. "Your father and I are."

The man looked at his wife, his features a little calmer. She was the only person who was ever capable of taking him on. She had a gift of getting him to act a little human among people and also do a lot of things he normally wouldn't, like offer a small smile to his kids every once in a while. Or buy Austin a new car for his sixteenth birthday, just because he needed to look like he belonged in his junior year of school.

"Alright..here goes nothing." he muttered to himself, but his family caught it either way. "You know how it's totally cool for a person to be anyone they wanna be without judgement because it's a free world, right?" What was he suddenly saying? "Mom, you are always encouraging us to embrace who we are. And dad.....yea." He said, his eyes never staying glued to one place, always dancing between his mom and dad, and occasionally, his sister - who now had her phone up. Austin had only just noticed that she had been recording the whole thing.

"What's your point?" His father asked, growing impatient by the second.

"So, recently, I discovered something about myself that is exciting and scary at the same time. I'm gonna need the support of my family if I'm gonna be able to live with this."

"Are you sick son? Some kind of terminal illness?" His father asked, still oblivious of where this was going.

His wife turned and looked at him like he had lost his mind,"What kind of terminal illness is exciting, Thomas!" He just stared back at her, not knowing what else to say.

"I'm not sick!" Austin spoke up, "Although some jerks out there would like to believe that I am!" He continued.

By now, Nicky was getting surprised at how well he was doing so far. And the whole staying in character thing without wavering, she would have to give him props for that !

Just then, his mom seemed to notice what her son what talking about, "Oh . My . God!" Her face suddenly lit up in realization. Her eyes were wide with surprise and her mouth remained agape,the corners of her lips rising to a smile, " You - "

But her son beat her to it, " - I'm gay."