He's a quiet, caring gay boy struggling with his mental health and his homophobic parents.
He's a loud, rebellious bisexual boy with terrible self-preservation skills and a skateboard.
She's a smart, anxious lesbian with a love for flowers, coffee...
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Tuesday, August 21, 7:20 p.m.
"I just can't believe that he's gay," said Harry Bailer, sitting at the kitchen table with his wife, son, and daughter. "He didn't even look gay."
"And why would he announce that on the news? There are children watching it, no one wants to know about your personal life. Especially if you're gay."
Blake shifted nervously in his seat as he pushed his peas and carrots around his plate. He sat next to his younger sister, Cortney, who was giving him sympathetic looks while their parents were ranting about what had happened on the news.
Just a half-hour ago, a news reporter came out as gay after the weatherman commented about how it could rain on the day he was getting married. The reporter laughed and said that he and his soon-to-be-husband would probably have an inside ceremony.
That got Blake's parents not only angry but also disgusted, saying that the reporter was a dirty sinner.
"What do you think, Blake?" His mother, Rachel, looked at the raven-haired boy.
The boy looked up, his blue eyes a little wide as he was startled. "What?"
"He wasn't paying attention," Harry, his father, said in disappointment. "What do you think about the reporter getting married to a man?"
Considering I am also gay, I think it's amazing that that reporter actually has the ability and safety to marry who he loves. "I don't really care. I wasn't paying attention," he mumbled and looked back down at his full plate. He suddenly felt nauseated and the food looked every bit unappetizing.
His mother sighed and turned back to his father. "Well, anyway..." she began and continued with their talk.
Courtney placed a hand on her older brother's arm. "Blake," she said in a low voice. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he mumbled, lying though his teeth. "May I be excused?" he asked, looking up at his parents.
"But you haven't touched your food--" his mother began.
Before she could finish her sentence, he was out of the kitchen and upstairs in his room. He sat down heavily on his bed and put his face in his hands. He hated his parents. They were both incredibly Christian and traditionally Baptist centered, so coming out to them as gay would be hard. He'd probably get disowned. Or worse.
Which is why he wouldn't tell them until the end of his senior year.
Very few people knew that he was gay. His closest friends, Skyler, Ivy, Hera, and Phoenix knew. He'd told them between sophomore and junior year one at a time. A couple of his internet friends knew. And Cortney, who he had told earlier that summer. He knew if he came out to the school, it wouldn't be a big deal. He was lucky in the fact that he lived in a town where it was more progressive and accepting. But he was also unlucky in the fact that his parents were hardcore Baptists.
School starts tomorrow, he thought and lifted his face from his hands. I should probably get my things ready.
He got up and started to walk over to his backpack until his phone buzzed from its place on his bedside table.
"Oh my god!" he exclaimed and dived on his bed. Sliding slightly and lightly bumping his head on the dark red painted wall, he snatched his phone up from where it was charging and unlocked it. "He finally texted back, thank god."
1 new message
Skyler
hey sorry for not texting back my sister stole my phone and wouldnt give it back unless i did her chores
you looking forward to tmrw?
Blake's smile faded into a disappointed frown. Skyler hadn't answered back to his paragraph-long text. Had he forgotten? Blake
Yeah, totally. Ready to become stressed again
Skyler
saame
how are you doing feeling? idk if ur depression has gotten better
is therapy working? it did for my mom
Blake
Some days it's manageable. Other days I don't get out of bed until three in the afternoon. But yeah, therapy is helping a little. The meds I was prescribed help a lot too.
Skyler
thats good. and remember, im always here for you to talk to if you need it
Blake
That means a lot, actually. Thanks.
Skyler
no problem, dude
He waited for a few minutes for Skyler to text him back to change the topic, but he got no reply. So he decided to start packing his backpack for school the next day.
Standing in the middle of his room, he scrolled through his Spotify playlist for music to listen to with his earbuds plugged in and holding them in his hand.
Panic! at the Disco? No, if Mom or Dad come in and ask what I'm listening to, a song about sex will definitely be playing. My Chemical Romance? No, they think they're a satanic band. Twenty One Pilots? That's pretty safe. Blake shrugged, pressed shuffle, and put his earbuds in.
"No, not that song," he mumbled and pressed the skip button. "Skip. Skip. Skip. Sk-- Oh, wait, I like this one." Bopping his head to the song, Blake sat on the floor and began to organize and put things in his backpack.
and that's the first chapter. well, the first prologue out of five. let me know if you guys enjoyed it! don't worry, the upcoming chapters will be much longer, but the next few parts are merely introductions
also, let me know if i'm representing anything wrong. i don't struggle with depression, but i always reflect a bit of myself into every character. but let me know if the way i'm portraying something is harmful to people or if it's simply incorrect. i'm always open for constructive criticism!
anyway, the next part will be posted tomorrow. i'm going to post the intros every day but after that i will be posting once a week (if i actually keep to a schedule). that's it from me. have a good day, guys. remember to drink water. stay safe babes :) x.
