GAY PANIC (STRANGER THINGS!) [✓]

CHAPTER NINE : WORRIED SICK

CHAPTER NINE
WORRIED SICK

OCTOBER 3RD, 1983

Angelo had been worrying about Link since last night. Usually before school, one of them would meet up at one of their lockers depending on what day it was. But Link didn't come to visit Angie at his locker, so this worried him even more, so he was on his way to come visit his locker.

As he walked, he felt somebody bump his shoulder, and the italian turned around to see the all familiar blonde mullet Link had.

"Yo, chico!" He called out to Link.

The other boy came to a halting stop after he had heard Angelo's voice. He didn't turn around because he didn't want him to see the black eye that his stepmother gave to him.

" 'Ey, Angie!" He replied back. It didn't sound as happy as usual, but he tried to sound happy for Angelo's sake.

"What's wrong?" Angelo asked him, concern was laced in his voice.

The raven-haired boy walked up closer to him. Link still wouldn't turn around to face him. Something was up, he just didn't know what.

"Chico, look at me," Angelo says to him, but he friend shook his head. He didn't understand. It was like he didn't wanna talk to him.

"I can't. . ."  Link told him. He didn't need to worry about the black eye he had gotten last night. That should have been the least of Angelo's worries.

"Chico, look at me. . . " He commanded.

Link knew he couldn't hide this for long. The blonde took a deep breath before turning around fully to face Angelo. You could tell he had just gotten it last night.

Angelo walked closer to the other boy, and he saw the black eye. His expression immediatly changed right away.

"Linkie. . ." Angelo said softly, "Who did this to you?

The other boy shook his head. "Its nothing really, Ang," Link answered, although he was gonna lie, "Just bumped into a door."

"Chico, that is not what happened," Angelo replied, "If you did, you would have turned and told me already."

Link looked away, but Angelo softly put his hand on his cheek, turning his face so that he could look at him again. "Link, who did this?" Angelo asked again.

"I told you," Link started, "I just bumped into a door!"

Angelo shook his head. "Link-Grayson Haywood, if you don't tell me who the fuck did this to you, so help me god─" He said sternly.

Then he saw it. He saw Link break down into tears and hugged him. That's when Angelo knew something was wrong. He didn't know what was up, but he did now.

Angelo hugged him back, holding the taller boy into his arms. Link had just been sobbing into the italian's shoulder.

"Oh, Linkie. . ." Angelo quietly said, "It'll be okay. . ."

Angelo didn't know what to do at the moment but to just hold him in his arms. There wasn't anything he could do until he got out of school.

"Okay, when we get home from school, you're gonna come to my house and you're gonna tell me everything thay happened, alright?" Angelo explained to him.

Link nodded afterward, and he wiped the tears from his face, and finally pulled away from his friend. "Yeah, okay. . ." The blonde sniffled, "Thank you."

Angelo gave him a small, but sad smile. "Anything for a friend. . ." He told him.

───

After school, Link had once again came over to Angelo's house. He knew he would be safe there. Angelo's two sisters and his mother were very nice people. And Alessandra already thought of Link as a son.

The two boys were both sitting on Angelo's bed. They were just quiet. He had given Link one of the ice packs in the fridge to put on his eye.

"Now, tell me what happened," Angelo told him softly.

"It 'appened last night, after I 'ad gotten off the phone with you," Link started, "My stepmom is a very religous lady and likes to use abusive tactics to discipline us."

Angelo nodded, listening to every word his best friend was saying to him. "Uh-huh, go on. . ." He said to him.

Link was a bit embarassed to say this, because he had been in the closet for a while. But he trusted Angie, so he decided to tell him why he got the black eye.

"So. . . my stepmom found some. . . pictures. And she eas not okay with that," He quietly explained.

"Woah, what kind of pictures are we talkin' here, pal?" He asked him, "Not to judge or anything, I wouldn't dare do that."

"Pictures of guys. . ." He squeaked, his face red in embarrassment, "She found them in one of Lyla's magazines that were under my bed."

Angelo felt like he was understanding, but at the same time, he didn't.

"I don't think I understand─" Angelo told him truthfully.

"Angie I'm. . ." Link then stopped, took a deep breath and said,

"I'm gay. . ."

Angelo couldn't believe what he was hearing. He wasn't the only one other than Vera? This had truly been a happy moment for him.

He took Link's hand. "And you know what, fuck your stepmom and her homophobia," Angelo says to him sincerely, "You be you. No matter what people say. I learned that the hard way."

"Angie, what are you trying to tell me?" Link asked him. He knew if his friend was talking like that, there was something he was trying to tell him.

"What I'm saying is that I have witnessed homophobia, you know why?" Angelo told him, and Link shook his head.

"Because. . . I am, too," Angelo told him, "I'm just as gay as you are. And so is Vera."

That comment made Link smile. He was so happy to have people like him were around him.

Angelo coming out to him truly made his day.