"Mom. Dad." Kendall was clinging to my arm, giggling and smiling. "This is my boyfriend, Max!" She was beaming. "He's trans."
"Uh, hi." I waved a little.
"So, this is him!" Her mom clapped and smiled. "It's so nice to finally meet you!"
"Oh, you too." I managed a fake smile.
"Please, honey, call me Diana! And call my husband, George!"
"See! I told you they'd love you!" Kendall hugged me. I pretended I was happy and hugged her back. "Let's go to my room! I have so much show you!" She let me go.
"Oh boy." I laughed a little.
"Don't do anything extreme, you two." Her dad, George, smiled and folded his newspaper.
"Dad!" Kendall whined and grabbed my hand, running to the stairs with me behind her. "Max, you are going to love my room!"
"Really?"
"Totally!" She dragged me up the stairs.
When we got to the top of the stairs, my breath hitched. A guy walked out of his room, his hair soaking wet, a towel around his waist, and a bowl of cereal in his hands. I immediately averted my eyes from his abs.
"Jared!" Kendall groaned. "Go get dressed! I told you I was gonna be bringing my boyfriend over!"
"What, he's not gay, is he?"
"No!" She rolled her eyes. "Come on, Max." She dragged me into another room, closing the door and jumping into her bed. "Come sit with me." She unzipped her hoodie, knowing she wasn't wearing a shirt. I sat next to her and tucked my knees to my chest. "You're being so shy today. I'm gonna go to the bathroom, and when I get back I want you to be ready, okay?"
"Okay." I whispered and thought of stabbing myself. She got up and left the room.
A few seconds passed. "You're gay." Jared was in the doorway.
"What?" I looked up and away, he was still in his towel.
"You're obviously into me, averting your eyes. So, why are you dating Kendall?"
"I'm not gay." I lied through my teeth.
"Mhm, keep averting your eyes then."
"Jared, leave him alone!" Kendall stormed in and locked the door, making my anxiety skyrocket.
"We're not going to a secondary location, are we?" I joked.
"Not unless you want to, baby." Backfire. She ripped her hoodie off and straddled me on the bed. "Are you ready?"
"Don't really get a choice, do I?"
"No, not really." She leaned forward. I stopped her less than an inch away.
"Lights?"
"Alexa, turn off main light and turn on twinkle lights." The robot obeyed. She waited a few seconds. "Alexa, play Max's Mix." Oh god, she made me a whole playlist. Cherry Pie blared around us. Oh god.
Kendall leaned forward again, I let her lips hit mine and her hands find my hair. I fought my urge to pull away. As little as I wanted to be doing this, I couldn't just pull away and make her angry. Kendall grabbed my hands and sat them on her waist, forcing her tongue into my mouth. I cringed a little but she didn't notice it. Kendall grabbed my hands again, trying to sit them over her chest. I pulled my hands back and pulled away from her.
"Max, what's wrong? You've been acting so weird and shy. We've done this before."
"I know, it's just... I can't do this anymore."
"You can't do what, anymore?"
"Kendall, I've been thinking about this for a while, now. And-- you know this would be easier if you weren't on top of me."
"Oh, sorry." She climbed off of me and sat in her desk chair. "Go ahead."
"So, I've been thinking about this for a while now. And I think it'd be a bit of a dick move to drag you along, since I have respect for you."
"Are you breaking up with me?"
"Kind of? I just, I'm, I'm gay." I dragged out my spaces.
"Oh." We sat in silence for a few seconds.
"But, you know, no one else knows. So, you can't tell anyone. Please."
"I won't. I just, have a question. Did you actually like me?"
"I mean, you're an amazing person. I love having you in my life, it's just, I'm not physically attracted to you."
"So, why'd you agree to go out with me?"
"I don't know."
"Oh."
"I'm just, gonna, you know." I stood up and unlocked the door.
"Yeah." She sighed.
"I'll see you in school?" There wasn't a response. I left her room and walked down the stairs, being lucky enough to get out without an interaction.
