Someone Like True

VII

Fall was slowly approaching. The leaves were gently beginning to fade from vibrant green to yellow, and the freckles on Marlowe's face were slowly starting to disappear.

Almost a month had gone by of softly learning each other all over again, dissecting each part they'd dismissed in their friendship and falling in love with every single one.

"What will university be like?" True asked Lowe as they two sat in Trues bedroom, packing up the last few boxes of his belongings.

"Not sure." Lowe responded, his gaze ghosting over the top of his book, gazing through his black framed glasses that he only ever wore around True.

He was lounged out on True's bed, his own room at home already packed up. They left for UBC in a short 5 days, and although it wasn't too far from home, they'd opted to rent out a small apartment right near campus. Marlowe was studying law, True literature and journalism.

"Did you tell your parents yet?" Lowe finally asked. True turned to him, taping up the last box and offering him a prideful grin.

"I did." Lowe cocked a brow, setting his book down upon marking his place and sitting up.

"And? How'd they take it?"

"They already loved you, Lowe. Now they just get to love you even more." There had been concern over True's parents' reaction to their newfound relationship. But they'd been alright with the scenario, including True's sexuality.

Neither of them thought about telling Marlowe's parents. Not yet. If True's parents were anything to worry about, Marlowe's were a hundred times worse. Lowe had always had to fill in the shoes of a perfect child after his older brother failed.

Being gay and being in love with his best friend didn't fit the description his parents were looking for. And even if in a million different scenarios he'd convinced himself he'd choose True, inside he felt like a coward for not being sure if he could follow through.

Lowe pushed any thoughts of his own parents aside and visibly relaxed, smiling gently at his boyfriend, reaching out and ruffling up his blonde hair.

"Good," he began before leaning back and returning to his book. The silence didn't stretch for long until Lowe's inquisitive eyes ghosted above the book and landed on True.

"True?" He continued eventually. His boyfriend hummed in answer and glanced up from the stack of boxes he arranged in front of him. "Who was the first crush that made you realize that you might like guys?" It was a question True had asked himself several times, and one he had a couple of different answers to.

"Well," he slowly sat in front of Lowe on the bed, tilting his head in a way Marlowe had grown accustomed to, even grown to adore. It made True look like a small puppy, his bright eyes and messy hair completing the comparison almost too flawlessly.

"The first time I realized was when I kissed you." Lowe nodded, he knew this. "But I knew I couldn't even think about that possibility."

"So who was it?" Marlowe's curiosity was killing him.

"Do you remember Charlie Haden?" Lowe quirked a brow at True as soon as the name slipped through his soft lips.

"You mean the same Charlie that ruined our first- and last- field trip in Mrs Kane's grade 4 class? The one who threw up his entire lunch on the school bus?" Lowe's voice was incredulous and amused as he smirked.

"Well...yeah, that Charlie." Lowe laughed and shook his head.

"Your first crush was Upchuck Charlie?" He laughed even louder at True's expression and pinched his cheek.

"He was cute, okay?" He defended helplessly.

"Cuter than me?"

"Never."