[Twice Featured Noteworthy Novel & Staff Pick on Tapas.io] ✔
[Previously featured on Tapas.io's LGBTQ+ Community collection] ✔
One night. That was all it took for Senn Reyes' life to change drastically--and permanently.
Senn Reyes is a seventeen-y...
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Saturday
Without knowing why, Senn felt like crying. He felt like screaming, yelling, fighting; anything to get rid of the feelings he was currently drowning in. He had never felt more alone as he had lately. More than ever did he long to his mother and her southing words. More than anything did he want to tell her about the fight inside him that he had been trying to win for so long.
Julian was gone, his parents weren't there any longer. He couldn't tell them he was bisexual; he couldn't hear what they thought about that. If they were okay with it or if they thought it was wrong.
Senn was pretty sure his father would be okay. It was his mother and her religious background that made him doubt. That had caused him not to spill his secret months before the accident, after first sleeping with Julian. After knowing for sure that he indeed was attracted to guys to the same level he was attracted to girls.
It was a fight to accept himself. A fight he had long managed to push aside—forget about—the night of the accident. Suddenly, his sexuality felt like a futile detail that wasn't at all important. So what if he liked boys and girls?
But still, Senn wanted his parents' approval. He wanted to know if they'd love him for who he was, no matter who he'd bring home one day. Which was now a mystery he could no longer solve.
Elio and his damned lips had awakened the entire fight within a few cursed seconds, sending Senn back into his own dark hole, for he knew no matter what, he wouldn't ever get his parents' approval.
Even worse, they were probably looking down upon him, and they now knew.
Yet, he wouldn't ever find out what they'd do with that information.
Consumed by thoughts and feelings, Senn opened the back door after storing his bike in the garage. Even before the door had closed behind him, Tessa appeared in the kitchen with wide yet angry eyes.
"Where have you been?" She called out, sounding even angrier than she looked. "It's four in the morning and you've been gone all day!"
"I—" Senn started, but since he had no excuse—other than the fact he just didn't want to be there—he shrugged instead.
"You? What, Senn? We've been worried sick! Dean is out there, looking for you!" She grabbed hold of her head. "We've called you, over and over again. Where were you, Senn?"
"Just out," Senn relied coldly. "Out and away from you suffocating people who mastered the art of sending mixed fucking signals."
"Out where, Senn?" Tessa seemed to lose her patience, and Senn did feel crappy for causing her to worry like that; but only slightly. At least right now he wasn't the only one who felt shitty. Or was searching for answers they wouldn't get.
"As if I'd tell you. Those are my places, and you're not invited."
"That's it." Tessa shook her head, looking at him in disbelief. "You're grounded. You'll go to school, you'll stay in school until the day actually ends, you come home, and you go to your room—"
