"I'm heading out," I said as I left. Let me tell you my new hair color didn't go over well, the bad news is I got in trouble, the good news is My dad is giving me the silent treatment. He's pissed his son dyed his hair a color associated with girls. As I got on the bus I scrolled fandom twitter as I waited for the bus to reach our checkpoint. I could feel the stares of my classmates but it's not like I could do anything about it
"Dude, did you dye your hair pink?" Yuri asked as he sat down like I didn't look like cotton candy
"Yea, you like it!" I replied
"You look like a girl!" JJ called from across the alley
"Fuck off, color is genderless" Yuri replied "And yea, I do! Like it!"
"Oh, yea Yuri! I started a new magical girl anime. It's so cute!"
"Another? Just how many magical girl anime are there?"
"A lot! It's a whole genre! Oh, yea! Yuri! My birthday is coming up, you'll be there right?"
"Uh, duh how could I not be" Yuri replied, "Also seriously dude weren't you watching that other show where do you find all this free time?"
Soon we made it to school and we parted ways. You see our school follows an A day B day schedule so we shared gym class yesterday. Today I had to go to health all by myself, Yuri like most my grade took it in 6th grade. But no one told me you had to take it to graduate!? How was I supposed to know? Why would they even let me get this far without taking health if it's so important?! As I got to the class I felt awkward as the only 8th grader. I've never been so happy that I never got my growth spurt. At least if I don't draw any attention I'll look just like another 6th grader. I popped a piece of gum into my mouth to distract myself as the health teacher droned on about what to expect in the next unit.
"Mr. Park! Is that gum!" Coach barked, making me jump so hard that I nearly swallowed my gum. "One would think as an 8th grader you'd set a better example for your younger peers. Well, class you know the rules one student has gum the whole class gets to stay after class for 5 minutes."
I wanted to shrink through the ground as my class grumbled and glared at me. It's not my fault I'm so worthless. Why does it have to be such a big deal? I wasn't gonna stick it under the desks or anything!
"Yuri!" I called as I ran to check up. "Wait up!"
"You're late!"
"Shut up! Coach held my whole class because some kid had gum!" I exclaimed leaving out that I was the one with gum
"It was you wasn't it?"
"Yea…" I admitted I should know Yuri is never fooled "But he's never noticed before!"
"Come on, we are gonna be late!" he exclaimed before pulling me along
"Mr. Plisetsky, and Mr. Park, you're late." Celestino sighed
"They were probably making out!" JJ called out causing the class to laugh
"Very funny." Yuri growled, "We don't swing that way asshole." I remained quiet as Yuri retorted, you guys probably already know but I'm actually in love with Yuri. However, Yuri is pretty vocal about being straight so.. There's that
"Yuri language!" The teacher yelled
"Sorry.."
"Just sit down. Both of you.."
"Ok sir!"
As the teacher droned on my night of reading fanfiction and watching anime caught up to me as I drifted out of the moment. Soon enough I was in another moment in a dark room. I reached out looking for anything to break the darkness and soon my hands fell on a music box. Curious, I turned the crank as I did. The room grew bright and before me stood a beautiful ballerina. Their beauty drew me forward like a siren. So much so I barely noticed the rising waters as I got up the faceless beauty
"Tell me Trevor" she spoke "Do you have a dream?" as the water cradled our ankles
"Um… I don't know.." I said as the water crawled up my shins
"You're running out of time Trevor, don't get left behind." the voice said again
"What?! What do you mean?"
She did speak again but the floor fell out and I found myself submerged in the water. Images flashed by a figure in pieces and an unread letter followed by two funerals. each image was gone before I could comprehend it. Before I saw what was next I was shaken awake.
"Bro you good!" Yuri said As I woke to see everyone looking at me
"What happened?" I asked as we walked to the next class I had been too embarrassed to ask during class with everyone looking
"Dude not only did you fall asleep in class but i think you were having a nightmare you started crying and was saying "No don't, don't follow me. Don't go? I don't know it was hard to understand, you seemed to be simultaneously telling someone to leave and begging them to stay."
"So strange… all I remember is being drawn to this blonde Ballerina then us both Drowning.."
"Mom! Has dad left for the day yet?" I asked,
"yes dear he has.."
"Then can we go for snacks! I only have a few hours till Yuri gets here!"
"Couldn't we have done this earlier?"
"But then Dad would've come too.." I muttered
"Trevor.. Come on, we'll get all your favorites. Do you know what Yuri likes?"
"Of course!"
As We drove I watched the trees lose their final leaves. To think I was turning 14 already, I'm almost a high schooler. Before I knew it Christmas would be here with the snow and we'd welcome in the new year. Today is December 8th, my birthday. Like most years I only invited Yuri though when I was younger, Yuri's next-door neighbor Victor would sometimes tag along. He always brought video games and delicious baked goods made by his mom.
"Alright Trevor, since it's your birthday I'll let you pick out a manga in the book store as well." My mom said as we arrived at the store "This should be enough money for ONE book." she said being very clear about have many I should get
"Really!"
"Just don't tell your father you know how he feels about them.."
"Yes I know."
After that we parted ways as I headed towards the small manga section in our local book store. I guess I had super tunnel visions cause I bumped right into a little girl.
"I'm so sorry! I exclaimed " Are you ok?!"
"Yea i'm fine.." she said as I looked at her, she was a young child with tanned skin and black curly hair pulled into pigtails
"Sasha? Is everything alright?" asked a man as he turned the corner as his eyes landed on me. He seemed surprised but I wasn't sure why "Oh I see… "
"I'm sorry I should be looking where I was going! You see my mom gave me money for a manga for my birthday and I was excited-"
"Today is your birthday?" the guy asked
"Uh… Yea.. sorry I should just let you guys get back to what you were doing." I said trying to escape
"No wait, it's ok.. Your name is…" he asked so much for escaping
"Umm… Trevor Park.."
"... I see…" the guy said.. He looked at me like he didn't believe me
"Beka! You know it's rude to stare!" the young girl said pulling him back to reality
"Sorry.. Hey, you go to Prixia Middle, right."
"Yea I do, how'd you know?"
"It was just a guess.. I'm starting there in January after winter break.. It'd be nice to know someone when I do. My name is Otabek… Otabek Altin."
"Are you saying you want to be friends?"
"If that's alright with you but if you want to say know i get it, you literally just met me after all"
"No, no it's cool! But if your homophobic it's not gonna work out."
"Trust me I'm not at all Homophobic," He said with a laugh
"Hey, I have an idea you can come to my birthday and met my friend-"
"No!" I blurted, startling me "I-I'm sorry That was rude, I meant I wouldn't want to intrude.. But I can exchange socials for now.."
"Ok!"
As I paced back and forth, I couldn't help but wonder. Why? Why is the moments leading up to an event the worst part. This is just a birthday. Like any other with My best friend. Maybe I shouldn't tell him today… but.. We are about to start high school. What if I don't tell him and he gets a pretty girlfriend next year. But what if I do tell him and he rejects me as a friend for being… Gay. Oh come on Trevor don't be stupid Yuri would never he gets so angry when Jj and his friends talk bad about gay people so how can he be against them? Still, if I tell him and he doesn't feel that way it'll make things weird.. Damn it Trevor this is why you're pathetic you're always too scared to speak your mind. If you can't speak your mind you should just die and make everyone's life easier. Wait, no damn. I told myself I wouldn't think that way anymore.
"Trevor! He's here!" I hear my mom call, show time I thought to myself as I emotionally prepared for what came next
"Dude, am I the only one here?"
You're the only one I invited." I shrugged anxiously before giving a nervous smile and continuing "It's more fun just the two of us."
"Well, I guess here's my present," Yuri said handing me a box I immediately tore into it like a lion tears into a gazelle after not eating for a week, I couldn't help it. I love getting free stuff so much, I'm sure you can relate. And then I saw her, long flowing cyan hair, dark green sailor suit. Sailor. Neptune. I wonder If Yuri knows that the character he got me is gay as fuck.
"Woah…." I said in disbelief, "Sailor Neptune.." I said holding her box"she's the only one I was missing! Thank you!" I wonder if he knew I was missing her? Or if it's a coincidence I know I mentioned it a while back but there's no way he remembers..
"You said you were having trouble finding her so I did some digging…" Yuri said fiddling with his bangs, I felt a pinch in the back of my eyes as he spoke, he really did remember.. "It took months but I found her."
"..No one.." I interrupted still in disbelief "No one ever puts this much effort in for me…" I finished after all, why would they all my life I've just been following the current, I'm not smart or talented, nor do I work hard for well anything
"Hey.. Trev don't cry. It was nothing you'd do the same for me." Yuri said, he was right, I'd do anything for Yuri. I love him… I think… It's time.
"Yuri.. You'll… You'll be my friend no matter what.. Right?" I said, no chickening out Trevor you got this. This guy just spent months looking for one of the gayest sailor scouts for you. He wouldn't reject me as a friend for being Gay.. I'm like 80 percent sure about it
"Yea, of course. Why are you asking me this suddenly." Yuri asked confused and seemingly intrigued, his eyes looked like he could see straight through me
"I have to tell you something. Something I've never been able to tell anyone…"
"Really I'm honored you'd trust me with something so personal.. Shoot dude."
"You promise not to think less of me?" I ask again
"Man whatever this is can't be that bad." He replied grabbing my shoulders
"Ok.. No turning back now. I'm gay." I finally said as Yuri just stared back at me like he was waiting for the punchline
"Seriously," he asked, I tensed, here it comes "That's it? You sounded like you were gonna admit to murder dude."
"You- you don't care?!" I say shocked
"Nah. Besides, I'm pretty sure I am too." he shrugged
"Really!" I exclaimed before the word vomit began "Cause the thing is-I kinda have a crush on you- I had this whole thing prepared about how I understood that if you didn't want to be friends and that I'd get over it-"
"Trev! Breathe!" he exclaims "You're speaking too fast!"
"Sorry…" I wilted, why did I say all that all he said is he may be gay, but that doesn't mean he likes me, now he's gonna reject me and i'm gonna spend the rest of my birthday feeling shitty and useless!
"Listen. I get what you're saying but.. I don't think it would work."
"Why? You don't like me?" I replied preparing myself for disappointment
"No I didn't say that! But you know how our peers feel about our kind.."
Of course, I should have thought about that, since Yuri's also gay he probably has all the same fears about coming out I do. This is all so stupid why should we live in fear?! we aren't doing anything wrong. They say god hates gays but like why would he make us gay if he doesn't want us to be gay?! I don't like Brussels sprouts but don't expect them to stop existing I just don't eat fucking Brussel sprouts!
"That may be so but.." I began, "We don't have to tell them! Even if they find out we'd have each other! Even if the school shuns us we'd never really be alone! Why should we live in fear anyways! We aren't doing anything wrong by existing. It's time things change! and they won't change if we hide."
"i dunno…don't you remember that kid that was in Victor's grade, the one that got jumped on main street they nearly killed him and he had to move away.."
"Well… We don't have to start out with guns blazing.. We can start out small and low key.."
"Wait. Are you suggesting we date.. In private?"
"Yea!"