I can't fix it, Sharon. Rusty's unexpected confession played around in her head hours later. It bothered her, more than she let him see, more than she was ready to admit to herself. As the night fell around her and the light gave way to the darkness, the words became even more painful, more alarming. He retired to his room hours ago and she had no idea if he was still awake after his exhausting day. She was quite exhausted as well, but she could not bring herself to go to sleep, not while Rusty's disturbing words kept echoing in her ears.
She walked down the hall and stood outside his room, listening, looking for an indication that he was still up. She stared at the door for a long time, hearing nothing but her own heartbeat. Giving up, she knocked on the door, her knuckles lingering on the door for a moment longer than necessary. She heard him, at last.
"Rusty, can I come in?" she asked, her voice unusually shaky. His muffled His muffled yes was heard through the door and she gently pushed it open and slipped into his room. His window was open and he was standing next to it and staring into the darkness outside. She walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder, noticing the miserable expression on his face. They stood there in silence for a little while before he sniffled and Sharon noticed the tears that started running down his face. "Rusty, I just want you to know, that I wish I could fix things for you. I wish that I could undo all the bad things that happened to you. But if there is one thing I would never fix, is who you are. You are beautiful, inside and outside and I would not change a single thing about you. Are we clear on that?" Rusty turned to her and looked at her, at first with disbelief.
"I don't know how you do that," Rusty whispered.
"Do what?"
"How you can just ignore all the bad things about me and my… things that I can't fix?"
"Rusty, the things that you 'cannot fix', as you call them, are natural and I don't think you should want to fix them; there is nothing wrong about being gay, the same way that there is nothing wrong about not liking pizza," Sharon said.
"Actually, if someone doesn't like pizza, something is wrong with them," Rusty's lips curved up in a smile.
"Well, I guess it was just a bad example," Sharon sighed, but smiled back at him. "Anyway, the point is that you are perfectly normal and I love you and accept you just the way you are."
"Thank you, Sharon," Rusty wrapped his arms around her for the second time this day. "You have no idea how much it means to me."
"I'm happy to be here for you, any time you need me, Rusty." Sharon replied, feeling her eyes becoming wet with tears. She blinked them away and quickly wiped her face. "Now, I have something very serious to ask you," she pulled away from him. Rusty nodded and by the expression on his face, Sharon could tell that he was convinced he's done something wrong. "What toppings do you want on your pizza?"
"What pizza? Sharon, it's almost midnight," Rusty said.
"You didn't eat dinner, mister, and I think we could both use some comfort food," Sharon shrugged and Rusty couldn't help but grin.
"Well, maybe I don't like pizza…" he joked.
"More for me then," Sharon patted his shoulder and turned around to leave the room.
"Sharon?" Rusty's voice made her turn around. "I love you more than I love pizza." His words made Sharon grin but then she nodded understandingly. Rusty loved pizza so much that he could eat it 3 times a day every day and also between the meals.
"I appreciate that, Rusty," She said and left the room, to call for the pizza.
THE END