Waiting For You

Chapter Thirty-four

"I love you, and that's the beginning and end of everything".

~F. Scott Fitzgerald

Alex

You got this. You got this. You got this. I was frozen in my seat, for what felt like eternity. Hunter next to me must have noticed. Slowly, he reached out to place his hand on my thigh.

"Look, this must be scary for you, but you managed to tell your family. You have managed to tell Don. You can do this. You can tell the truth to them. And no matter what, I will be there for you," Hunter said, giving me a soft smile. I took a couple of deep breaths and reached for the door of Hunter's car.

I was wearing a borrowed shirt from Hunter since I couldn't go home and grab a fresh one. I was thinking of going home at some point this week when I was sure no one would be around, but today was not that day. The shirt I was currently wearing was a black baseball shirt, which sleeves reached down to my elbows. On the left side of my chest was a small pocket, in the colors of the pride flag.

When Hunter had presented it this morning I had protested, but I couldn't say no to his puppy eyes. So here I was now. Walking towards my friends, wearing a pride shirt, with Hunter by my side and Calla and Noah a few steps behind us.

"Hey, Alex..." Don started, but his voice flattened as his eyes fell on Hunter next to me. "Oh," he exclaimed, the dots connecting and finally realizing what was going on.

"What's going on? What does he want?" Matt snapped, nodding towards Hunter, who glared at him. Matt and Don were sitting on the bench, with Beth sitting on top of Don's lap. Vicky was standing next to Matt with a friendlier smile than the rest.

"I was wrong. When I told you about having found my soulmate. I was wrong. I did find my soulmate, but..." I stopped to breathe in and broaden my shoulders, "but my soulmate isn't a girl. Hunter is my soulmate".

"But you're... you're hooking up with a different girl at every party," Matt noted with a toothy smile, not actually believing me.

"I like girls and guys. And ever since I started dating Hunter I haven't been with anyone else," I replied. He opened his mouth to say something, but I spoke up once again, guessing what he was about to ask. "No, I haven't felt like this for another guy before, but I also haven't felt like this for another girl. I've never loved anyone else, but Hunter".

They all stayed silent for a few moments, and then Don pushed softly Beth off of his lap. He stood up and extended his hand towards Hunter. With a frown, Hunter shook his hand.

"I'm sorry about everything we have said about you and to you. If we had known you were Alex's soulmate..."

"You shouldn't have said those things even if I wasn't his soulmate, but yeah, thanks... I guess," Hunter snapped back with a bitter smile.

"Well, I hope we can make it up to you at some point," Don said with a small nod.

My eyes wandered to the rest of my friends. Beth and Vicky were smiling, still processing the whole thing, but they seemed happy about it. Matt, on the other hand, had a darkened expression, not telling much about how he felt. He was clearly trying to wrap his head around it, but at the same time that didn't mean that he wouldn't be okay with it. Seeing as the tension had pretty much vanished, Calla and Noah decided to join us.

"Eh, Alex...?" Hunter said, pulling my attention.

With a smile I turned to look at him, only to see that he was looking away from me and behind me. I turned around and my smile vanished. My parents had just parked and were now heading our way. I turned back at Hunter, with a panicked expression.