Closer - Noah Centineo/Peter Kavinsky

Closer (Part 13)- coming out

Vi and Yaz pull me into them as I approach, after leaving Jay with stupid Cindy.

"We need private alone space to talk. RIGHT NOW," Yaz yells over the music. Vi nods in agreement, and drags us towards the backyard.

I feel annoyance creep into me. I don't know what annoys me most in that moment. Drunk strangers, and classmates keep bumping into me and yelling. The music is way too loud for me. Seth ruined my night. And now Jays run off. Ella, you let him run off.

"Whats up with you Elle?" Vi frowns, as we sit together on the hamock next to the pool.

I'm listening, but not looking at either one of them. My eyes scan the yard for signs of Jay and Cindy. Then, my eyes dart to my bedroom window to make sure the lights are still off. Thankfully, they are.

"Nothing, the alcohol is evaporating from my system," I joke, but it really is. I'm not in the mood to talk about myself right now which also causes a light bulb in my head to flicker. Yaz has been trying to talk to us about something for the past few days. "Yaz?"

"Hmmm," she murmurs, pushing the hamock with her feet.

"You've been wanting to talk to us"

She sits up abruptly and turns to us. "I'm so drunk right now, dudes. And I'm scared as shit to tell you. I don't want it to change things between all of us"

Violet and I reach for her arm. Yaz looks not only drunk with smeared makeup and messy hair, but worried about what she has to say. "Nothing you say could change our friendship," Vi replies.

"We are actually quite offended that you would even think such a stupid thing," I add, with a light smile on my face.

Yaz bursts out into a giggle before taking a big breath of air. "You know I don't have luck with guys and stuff right," she pauses, waiting to receive a confirmation nod from the both of us which she gets. "Well, I've realized that I'm not attracted to guys. I'm into girls. I've known for a while. I just didn't want you guys to get creeped out or something. No one else knows. You know my traditional Indian parents would kill me"

"Yazmin Kumar, you are the bravest and also stupidest person I know," I blurt out, throwing myself on top of her while Vi follows. "We love you. Vi and I want you to be true to yourself. Thats what makes us happy"

"Elle is right. Do you. And fuck men anyways. Girls are way better," Vi laughs.

"Seriously," I mutter and I feel my mind selfishly, drifting off to the two guys who managed to annoy me tonight, even though I had no reason to be annoyed at one of them. Jay.

Yaz snorts and giggles at the same time with tears in her eyes. "Thanks guys. I love you so much"

"We love you tooo," Vi and I chime in at the same time.

We continue to sway on the hammock while observing other people in the yard. My heart is filled with happiness in that moment with the two beautiful souls that I get to call my best friends. It's not easy nowadays, finding friendships that will last to the very end. And every inch of my being knows that our trio will make it to the very end.

A while later, I feel the three of us drift off to sleep on the hammock. However, while the other two are passed out from the alcohol, I feel myself only half sleeping due to the music and my best friends' loud snoring.

Suddenly, I sense footsteps approaching me. "Ella,"  a voice murmurs.

My head jerks up to the person calling my name. It's the only person who calls me by my real name. Jay. I prop myself up in between Yaz and Vi. They don't seem bothered by my sudden movements.