Colors // Joshler

// 78. "I'm Done Hiding" //

When the sun began its descent towards the horizon, Tyler knew he had to go.

After stuffing his school clothes in his backpack--Josh insisted he keep the hoodie and shorts, at least for now--he kissed his lover goodbye, and he set off for home. Josh had offered to walk him back, but the smaller boy had told him he had to go alone. There was something he needed to do.

It didn't take him long to get home. The door was locked, but he got in with his spare key.

Tyler's siblings must have been in their rooms; the house seemed eerily quiet. He knew, however, that his father had the day off from work, and his mother would likely be home as well. After putting his backpack by the door, he made his way towards his parents' room.

As he'd walked along the pavement earlier, hands resting in the pocket of his/Josh's hoodie, he did what Mrs. Dun had suggested--he walked around in his father's skin. Not literally, of course, but metaphorically. He imagined being his father: a man who probably had little to no knowledge or experience around people who weren't straight. Then, he suddenly catches his own son doing something entirely homosexual on the living room couch with said son's best friend.

It was a little difficult for Tyler to envision, but once he did, his father's reaction made just a little bit more sense.

He knocked on his parents' door and heard his mother call "Come in!" from inside. He entered.

Tyler's father was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking a bit weary, but as soon as he saw his son, he flew up from the bed like a raging phoenix from the ashes. "Where the hell have you been?"

"The school called," Mrs. Joseph said, her voice quieter than her husband's. "They said you didn't come in."

"I didn't," Tyler stated.

"You know what? I don't care where you were." Tyler's father was practically fuming. "You're grounded. Go to your room."

"We need to talk," Tyler said, not moving.

"Like hell we do." Ignoring the protest from Mrs. Joseph, Mr. Joseph pointed at the stairs. "Go to your room. Now."

"I'm not straight," Tyler said, quietly. Clearing his throat, he raised his voice, lifting his chin and clinging to the threads of maroon in his throat. "I'm not straight, and you know that, and I won't apologize for it anymore. It's bullshit."

"Tyler!" his mother gasped, but he went on.

"All I've felt since you yelled at me is guilt, and I haven't even done anything wrong. It's bullshit!" he paused briefly to calm down. "I know you don't fully understand it, and I don't, either, but it's me, and I'm not going to hide or feel bad about it." Tyler took a step forward to face his father, the maroon feeling rising like the tide. 

"You can accept me or you can deny me, and that's your choice, but I want you to know that I'm not going to change myself because you don't like me, and I'm not going to avoid Josh because you don't like how we act around one another." Tyler clenched his fists, then let go. "Whatever happens, I'm done hiding."

Neither of his parents said a word, and Tyler stepped back, then left the room. He had said what he had to say. 

A/N: SO THAT HAPPENED

Just so you know, this book will be ending soon! I'm sad about it, I really enjoyed writing it and reading all your nice comments! Don't go far, though. There may be more Colors content in the near future... *casual winking*