The Browns returned before Pat did, giving Charlie just enough time to make up the school work he missed. This gave him time to meet up with some of his friends, all the time spent with Jessica, Sonya, Glenn, the other teens and kids, gave him strength to talk to some of his friends.
"My sweet Babboo," Sally sung when Linus opened the door.
"Yay… you're back, "he rolled his eyes, "also I'm dating this new girl in town."
"How could you‽"
"What do you want, Sally," he growled.
"You chase all these girls when you have one right here, that actually wants you. Anyway; I need you and Lucy, and Rerun at the park, like asap."
"Why," Lucy walked up.
"Charlie has something to-"
"Ugh… that loser? What could he possibly even want‽"
"Maybe you shouldn't go, Lucy- I thought you were nicer now, but you're still a crabby fussbudget. I don't know how we can even be friends, this is actually important."
"Did he finally fly a kite over the summer," she joked.
"No! He- I can't tell you… and maybe you don't need to know!"
"Now I'm real curious," she raised an eyebrow.
"Whatever it is; me and Rerun will be there, and you," he got in Lucy's face, "we don't need you raining on his parade!"
"You wanna knuckle sandwich?"
"Do you," he glared.
"You wouldn't dare!"
"I do owe you a few."
"Who are you even dating, by the way," Sally asked.
"Not telling," he stuck his tongue out.
"Some girl named Melody," she walked away, "hmmph."
Charlie found Lamar and Schroder at an ice cream shop.
"So you're going to come out to everybody, we got you, dude."
"That's right, honey. Ice cream on us."
"Thanks Schroder, Lamar, when we were out helping our family we met so many other queer kids, and the lesbian couple we met, with their friends, gave me the courage to come out, and Sally was a huge help."
"That is so cool," Schroder said.
"So, now we just need Franklin, Marcie, and Pat."
"Marcie we can get, Pat isn't back from camp yet," Lamar said, "Pat will be happy to see you, and has something to tell you, too."
"I actually can't wait to see her again."
Sally texted Charlie that Linus and Rerun are waiting at the park.
"Time to go."
Everybody met at the park on the edge of both neighborhoods, gathered around a picnic table at the large rental gazebo.
"I guess everybody who could be here is here, but where's Lucy," he asked.
"The way she was acting, I thought it'd be a wise decision she shouldn't be, since we all had to meet here right away; I thought it was something that could be dire, and didn't want her making it worse," Linus explained.
"Odd. The way she reacted to our news, I thought- oof."
Schroder kicked Lamar's shin.
"Trust me- should be for the best."
"We're all ears, Charles."
"You got this, big brother!"
"I do, and to start; we met this nice group of kids, we would hang out with, two girls, two guys, we found out the two girls were dating, and one of the boys is her cousin, who's bi. We got invited to a barn fire, that was also a coming out party."
"Does this mean what I think it does," Franklin wondered.
"I'm getting that déjà vu, like when- mmmphgh."
Linus smiled, covering Reruns mouth, "continue."
"So there were so many kids and teens that were gay, bi, Lesbian, and other things I can't remember, or don't know, I've never seen so many. A few were coming out of the closet…"
Nobody noticed while Charlie was telling the story; Lucy was on the side of the building, eavesdropping on the conversation.
"Our new friends, Sonya, Jessica, Glenn, and Thomas, then others… and Sally gave me the strength to do there, what I'm doing here; coming out. I don't know why I was so scared when Schroder and Lamar did- you were all cool with it. Gang… after the talk before I left with Schroder and Lamar, and what happened in Wisconsin, I realized… I'm bisexual."
"Good job, big brother," Sally grinned.
"Welcome to the club, dude! I'm not the token bi guy, any more!"
"Why were you worried about what we would think, we have your back, just like Schroder and Lamar," Linus asked.
"Well I was scared, and mostly you, with how strict your Christian upbringing was."
"I'm your best friend, and honestly my parents are fine with the lgbt, and I'm starting to lean more agnostic, or atheist."
"You're still good 'ol Charlie Brown," Franklin said.
Snoopy walked up and handed Charlie a rainbow pin.
"Thanks Snoopy."
Snoopy Saluted him.
"I told you, you'd have nothing to worry about, big brother."
"Pats right, Charles; you're brave where it counts, this was nothing you were going to lose friends over."
"Not even my friendship," Lucy appeared.
"Lucy," Linus leered.
"Relax baby brother… I'm happy you managed to find yourself, Charlie. If I'm going to be there for my ex love of my life, I'm going to be there for you, too. You let me know if Violet and her witch coven gives you any problems, okay?"
"Will do, Lucy."
"I can't believe you two blockheads thought I was going to be nasty about this," she crossed her arms.
"You can't blame us for worrying," Sally retorted.
"We knew everything would be okay," Schroder said.
"Don't tell me; you knew about this, too, already," Lucy gasped.
"Without divulging any more details; I'm not surprised they would know first," Linus mused, "I am still surprises Schroder told you first."
"I'm surprised she didn't just think it was a ruse, to get her to leave him alone," Lamar laughed.
"The thought crossed my mind, but I know Schroder better than that."
"So, Charlie, how did you find out you were bi," Rerun asked.
"Oh… I'm telling this one, my guy," Lamar started.
Pat came back to Sparkyville two days before the first day of high school and couldn't wait to see everybody again, officially starting off his new life completely boy. He went to Reginald's- Charlie's dad, barbershop for a fresh haircut, since his hair was starting to grow back.
"Charlie, have you found any cute boys, yet," Lucy asked, while they leaned on the wall.
"Actually, I did; some kid I've never seen before, near my dads barbershop. He was cute- can I call boys cute?"
"Girls call boys cute, I'm sure boys can call boys cute, I hear Lamar say it."
"Tell us more about this guy, Charlie," Linus asked.
"I don't know much, but he had auburn hair, cut kinda like mine, a real pretty face."
Linus and Lucy looked at each other, no words needed, knowing who it was.
Pat met up with Marcie and Franklin at the ice cream shop.
"So… how do you like the haircut?"
"Really suits you, Pat," Franklin said.
"I agree, it suites you."
"I hope Chuck takes this well."
"We saw him before you got back, he actually has news for you, too, sir."
"I hope it's good news."
Melody walked in the ice cream shop, and seen the three talking.
"Hey, Marcie, Franklin," she waved.
"Who's that kid?"
"New girl; Melody-Melody," Marcie said.
"But please, just call me Melody," she looked back.
"I should probably go actually unpack my stuff. I got some really cool clothes, I had so much fun at the camp, made a few friends, and I'm not afraid anymore."
"We'll see you later," Franklin said.
"Bye for now," Marcie said.
Pat and Melody walked out together.
"Hey, you know my name, but I never got yours."
"Patrick, but everybody calls me Pat."
"You're a cute guy, Pat," she smiled.
"Thanks Mel… you're cute, too."
"I hope to see you around more, I just moved here over the summer. You look like a guy that knows this city well."
"I'll show you the ropes, kid."
"Mmm… it's a date, then! See ya around," she walked away.
"Wow… I already have girls hitting on me! I might take her up on that, I can't wait on Chuck forever."
The next day Pat ran in to Melody again, offering to show her around town, Melody was quite sweet on him, more than he expected.
"I'm having so much fun, Pat," she held his arm.
"You're just so sweet on me, huh?"
"I can't help it… wait… you're not dating anybody are you?"
"No, I'm single," he blushed.
"Then… do you want to keep doing this?"
"Yeah, I do. Oh yeah, I need to tell you before this goes any further; I'm a transguy."
"Okay," she shrugged.
"Really‽"
"I'm pansexual, I don't care."
"Awesome!"
Linus had been waiting for hours to meet up with Melody, pacing around the living room.
"So… where's this Melody, is she even real," Sally asked.
"Of course she's real;"
"She is, I've met her, she's nice," Lucy defended, "you should call her."
"I should," he grabbed his phone.
"If we were dating… I wouldn't stand you up," Sally said.
Charlie was with Schroder at a music store looking at instruments, when he saw Pat and Melody walk past the windows.
"So much for that interest," he rolled his eyes.
"What are you talking about, Charlie?"
"I saw that cute new guy in town, and it looks like he has a girlfriend already, I don't recognize her either, though."
"That happens sometimes. It's not easy."
"Nothing really is," he shrugged.
"I don't have to have a boyfriend, anyway, I could wait."
"That's the spirit."
"There's somebody else I'm thinking about asking out, anyway."