The Internet Makes You Gay

Delreid41 has signed on

StanTheMan444: hey there!
Delreid41: Yo man, what's up?

A dorky grin spread across Stan's face when his instant messenger buddy alert sounded. No matter how much homework he had or how tired he was from football practice, he made sure to log onto his instant messenger program every night.

He didn't used to be such an IM junkie, and truth be told, he still wasn't much of one. He mostly just used it to ask classmates for homework assignments he missed, if it was a class he didn't share with Kyle.

But there was this one guy who he'd come to talk to on a regular basis; he'd apparently found his IM handle through MySpace and was just looking for some friends to chat with.

StanTheMan444: not much, just finished my homework. god, I hate trig, I don't get it at all.
Delreid41: Haha, sucks for you. :p
Delreid41: Considered getting a tutor?

Stan had realized early on one of the major perks of online friendships: relative anonymity. He could tell this guy just about anything without having to worry about being mocked or judged. Similarly, his new friend seemed just as open in return, confiding things in Stan that he otherwise didn't mention in day to day life.

Sometimes, Stan really appreciated having someone to talk to about the things he couldn't tell anyone else. But other times, he wished he could be more open with others... specifically with Kyle.

StanTheMan444: naw dude, I don't need a tutor!! not yet, at least.
Delreid41: Aww, come on, I'm sure you're just dying to ask that "super best friend" of yours. Hehe

Warmth raced to his cheeks. Yeah, there were definitely some things he didn't want to talk to Kyle about.

StanTheMan444: hey, stfu!
Delreid41: Relax man, you know I'm just poking fun.
Delreid41: But seriously, don't you think you ought to talk to him about it eventually?

Stan groaned. He wasn't sure what had possessed him to tell someone - a near-stranger, at that! - about his stupid little boycrush on his best friend. After all, if people were really close for a long enough time, they'd start feeling funny at some point or another. It was normal. Right? Didn't mean he had to act on it or anything. Nope, it would pass eventually, and then he'd look back years later and laugh about it.

...Though he seriously hoped it wouldn't take years to get over it.

StanTheMan444: no, I don't. in fact, I think that would be a really, really, stupendously BAD idea
Delreid41: Don't you think it's possible that he might feel the same way?
StanTheMan444: possible? yeah. likely, no
Delreid41: Pussy.

Stan snorted. Even if Kyle did, by some insane miracle, feel the same way, it wouldn't have mattered. He didn't want to risk ruining their friendship just because of his stupid hormones acting up.

StanTheMan444: maybe. but I don't wanna risk ruining our friendship, it's too important to me
Delreid41: And you're just gonna assume that you're not just as important to him?
StanTheMan444: pfft, what, now you can read his thoughts? you some kinda psychic?
Delreid41: Haha, maybe, but that's not the point.
Delreid41: You really ought to open up to him. He's your best friend, yeah? Try trusting him.
StanTheMan444: I DO trust him! I just... I don't wanna screw everything up

He was starting to get a headache. Why couldn't the one person he'd told at least be on his side in this?

StanTheMan444: ugh, brb, I need some air
Delreid41: Fine dude, but one last thing before you go.
Delreid41: If he was in your place, wouldn't you want him to tell you?
StanTheMan444 has signed off

Kyle leaned back in his desk chair and stared at his ceiling for several long minutes, before sighing and logging off his "secret" IM handle.

"God dammit Stan..."