Prompt: Hi Jen! Can you please write the moment when William first realized that he MIGHT be gay?
A.N.- So this is Will at age 13, please ignore it if it's not written very well because I'm severely lacking sleep so yea, here's somewhat baby Will!
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“Will! Guess what?!” Asher ran over to me, a grin on his face.
“What?” I asked, looking up.
“I asked Marie out on a date and she said yes!” he said in excitement. “My dad is driving us to the movies on Friday!”
“Oh, cool,” I said.
He sat down across from me. “What about you? Who do you have a crush on?”
“No one,” I said, turning the page of the book I was reading.
“Not a single girl?” he asked in surprise.
I shook my head. “Nah. Maybe it’s because I’m scared any girl I date will be like my sister.”
“Yea, your sister is pretty scary. How old is she?” he asked. “My brother’s age, right?”
I nodded. “Yea, Sonnet is 11. Stupid kid.”
“Well, you should find a girl to ask to the dance coming up! You can double with me and Marie,” Asher said, smiling.
“Hey guys!” Our friend, Lenny, sat down next to Asher. “Will, did you ask anyone to the dance yet?”
“No,” I said, wishing people would stop asking me that. I didn’t want to go with any of the girls I knew. I didn’t like any of them like that.
Lenny leaned in close, smiling. “Guess what.”
I searched his eyes and my heart rate picked up a little. “Yea?”
“I’m asking Christina to go to the dance with me,” he said, his eyes lighting up.
I felt disappointment inside me and my face fell. “Oh, cool.”
“You alright, Will? You look like someone just told you that you have a terminal illness,” Asher said.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” I said, shaking my head, wondering why I had gotten so upset.
“Right, well, I’m going to go find Christina,” he said, jumping up and heading away from the table we were at.
“Hey, Will, do you…” Asher bit his lip. “Do you like Lenny?”
“Of course. We’re friends,” I said, returning my attention back to the book I was reading.
“No, I mean like him. As in…you know, date,” he said.
I nearly ripped the page I was turning. My head jerked up. “What? Why would you say that?”
“Guys can like guys,” Asher said with a shrug.
“I don’t like guys!” I said, glaring at him.
“But you don’t like girls!” Asher said.
“That’s a lie!” I said, standing up. “I’ll be in the hallway.”
“Will!” Asher called as I stormed out of the cafeteria.
I sank down against the wall in the hallway, hugging my knees to my chest. My eyes scanned the hallway, landing on Lenny and Christina. Jealousy ate away at me as I watched her laugh at something Lenny said.
I froze, my eyes widening a little. Oh no. Oh god. I did have a crush on Lenny.
I raked a hand through my hair. That couldn’t be possible! I was a boy! I couldn’t like other boys!
“No,” I whispered in horror, hugging my knees tighter. I did…but I couldn’t…
“No,” I repeated, burying my face against my knees, feeling hopeless.
