Dennlebee's, but GAY! *Jazz hands*

First Date (Part 1)

YO IT'S BONKY42.

LIT.

(Applebees POV)

    I remembered our first date perfectly. It all started with a nervous text.

Me: Hey, so would you like to go out sometime

Den: Yeah! When?

Me: Tonight? 

Den: OH

Den: Of course! What time?

Me: 6 PM?

Den: That works.

Den: Where?

Me: ...

Me: What about the skating rink?

Me: Movie theater?

Den: hmmm

Den: You didn't plan for this all that well, did you?

Me: Well, no. This isn't exactly what I expected our first date to be like, haha. Wait, I have the perfect idea!

Den: Where?

Me: Meet me at Wildflower park, by the pond.

    I was incredibly nervous. What if Dennys really didn't love me? What if he was lying when he said he liked me back? We were so young, and I had nowhere to go if my family found out. They wouldn't accept me, they openly hated the LGBT+ Community. That could never change, not even if their son was part of it. I had a cousin who was gay, my father cut her off, and I never saw her again. Some say she killed herself, others say they wish she did. That's what I had to deal with if I ever came out.

    What if Dennys was the same? What if his family hated him? What if he was getting abused, just like my cousin, and sometimes, just like me? Was he bullied too? Did he have suicidal thoughts occasionally as well? What if we were alike? If so, I had to help him. I had to help everyone.  I couldn't just stand by and watch, unless he had a more accepting home, and didn't need me. 

~Time Skip~ 

    It was nearing six o'clock, and I was pacing around my room. Did I look okay? I decided to facetime my friend, Chili's.  "Chilis! Do I look okay? Is he gonna like it?" I whispered, not wanting my family to hear me outside my room. "You look great, Ap. He'll love it, and if he doesn't, I carry a bat for a reason." She whispered back. I laughed. " You wouldn't! Thank you, but no clubbing the guy I love." " Okaaaaay." Chili's sighed. " Do you think Wendys loves me back?" She asked. I nodded, smiling. "Of course, Chilis. You both have been living together for years, and she's a lesbian too. How could she not? You're amazing!" I said quietly, still aware of my family.

   Chilis only smiled, blushing as well. " Alright, now go on your date, Ap!"  She rushed me. She ended the call, and I sighed. Was Dennys really gonna like it? Was he going to like me? I stared up at my sword collection. Should I take a small one, maybe a dagger, for protection? I decided yes, just incase.

   I slowly opened the door to my room, making sure nobody would notice me being all dressed up in a collared shirt and jeans instead of my regular hoodie and t shirt. I quickly walked down the hall, not making eye contact with my parents, who were too busy  to notice me anyway.

   My sister stopped me just as I was about to open the door. " Where are you going?" She asked, curious. She was only thirteen, she didn't have any bad intentions. " Hanging out with a friend." I lied. She squinted at me, skeptical. " Dressed like that? Okay..." She muttered, looking over at our parents, to see if they had noticed me yet. Then she added sometime that still shocks me to this day. She whispered:

"It's okay, hang out with him, love him. I won't tell mom and dad."

    I was shaken for the rest of the night, but eventually I came to trust my younger sister, opening up to her quietly before anyone else ever even questioned my sexuality. At the moment, though, I just hugged her and nodded, forcing tears back into my eyes. 

    I left the house, getting into my car, and driving away to the park. I hummed along to the Fall Out Boy songs on the radio, knowing every word. I passed many signs, many couples, many people, until I pulled in shakingly to  a park with cherry blossom trees, and green grass everywhere. I took a deep breath, and hopped out of the car.