◈A D R I A N◈

A blurred hand swung at me and I closed my eyes, feeling the sharp sting of the palm on my left cheek. The burning heat bloomed over the sore spot and slowly morphed to skin prickling pain.

"I am so sorry," I whispered with my head hung low and heavy with shame.

Staggering breaths and broken sniffles filled the silence left by two souls standing at a lonely clearing by the rundown shoe factory.

Looking back at what I did, I cringed at the childish stunt back at the cinema.

After that kiss, I had pulled Kelly away without another word and walked mindlessly to anywhere as long as it was miles away from Logan and Kara. Kelly was pretty much in shock and followed obediently until she dug in her heels and stopped.

I could hear Kelly pulled in several deep, shaky breaths to calm herself down.

"I–I don't deserve this," her voice trembled. The hurt in her eyes overflowed down to her cheeks. "I know I hurt your feelings but I don't deserve to be treated like a common whore just so you can get back at her!"

Not at her, I wanted to correct her but stopped myself. Instead, I swallowed my refute and stayed where I was. Right within the firing line of Kelly's wrath.

"I'm sorry," I repeated again.

Shaking her head, Kelly started to pace in front of me, her shoes trampling on a trail of wild flowers cutting through the small clearing. She came to a stop and ran a hand through her messy locks.

"I'm sorry if this hurts you but it's best if you forget about Kara. She looks so happy with Logan. I can see that she really likes Logan."

I scoffed at that, unconscious of my actions until my eyes met Kelly's apprehensive ones. I dropped my gaze guiltily like a naughty kid receiving a lecture from his mom.

She let out a helpless sigh and rested her hand on my shoulders. "Love is not about owning them, Adrian. It's about setting them free and hoping they will find their happiness. If you really like Kara, let her go. Let her be happy—"

Her words were grating on my patience and it was getting thinner by the minute like shredded cheese.

"It's Logan, okay?! The one I like is Logan!" My confession rang loud and echoed in my head before I could grasp what I've done.

Kelly's eyes were saucer wide and her mouth went slack from shock. I slapped my hand over my mouth, couldn't believe I had just spilled out the secret so carelessly.

My heart was hammering wildly against the cage of my ribs and my mind went haywire from the desperation to lie my way out.

I gulped nervously. "I...I mean...I..." my voice faltered when nothing came up as an explanation.

"You like Logan?" Her voice was small and sounded breathless.

I squeezed my eyes shut. There was no use denying now. Might as well give her a solid reason to run for the hills.

"Yeah," I admitted.

Kelly took at sharp breath at my instant response. "You're...gay?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe."

Kelly exhaled loudly sank to the ground as if all strength had left her. Her head jerked up and stared straight at me. "He's old," she said in a matter-of-factly way.

The corner of my lips quirked up unknowingly. "Yeah, he is."

"And he's brooding—" Kelly began.

"—and crass. Kind words never seem to leave his mouth. The way he stacks two pieces of pizza together and eat them like a sandwich was weird. He hates sour food and likes chocolate and mint ice cream like a child," I finished it for her.

"But you still like him," Kelly stated.

I looked into her eyes and nodded helplessly. "Yeah."

She slapped both her hands on her knees and grunted unladylike when she pushed herself off the ground. "To be honest, I was a little shocked."

"That I'm gay and I like an old geezer? Yeah, that's pretty shocking for me too," I laughed dryly.

Kelly's brows knitted together. "What? God no! That's not what I meant. I just didn't think that you'll tell me something as important as that." She stepped forward and opened her arms. "Do you mind if I hug you?"

I groaned. "Can I say yes?"

Kelly rolled her eyes. "No, you can't." She proceeded to wrap her arms around my back and I stiffened immediately. "Thank you for telling me. I know that we're not BFFs but it must have taken a lot of courage for you to confess that."

"Lots of stupidity," I corrected her.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," Kelly grumbled and continued, "You do know it's going to be a tough hike up the hill, right? Logan may not return your feelings."

I sighed. "I know."

We must have been quite a sight, a petite girl hugging a lanky dude. The top of her head only reaching my shoulders. She probably looked like a koala hanging off a branch.

"I don't know if my support is welcomed but I'll always have your back," she said. I wanted to scoff at that but she stopped me with the next sentence. "I know that my past actions showed something different but this time, you have my word."

Then, like a reticulated python, she gave a tight squeeze which nearly dislocated my forearm and said, "And my awesome supportive hug!"

I wheezed a little from having my chest crushed. I admitted that I was relieved that she didn't look at me like I was a disgusting slug but there was something that I didn't understand. I eyed her warily and asked, "Aren't you disgusted that I'm a...a fag?"

Her nostrils flared and I swore I saw smoke coming out from them. "The only thing that's disgusting is that word. It's dehumanising and downright offensive!"

I must have looked frightened or frozen by her icy death stare because she let out a huge breath and apologised. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. It's just..." she sighed again. "Can I tell you a secret?"

I shrugged. "Well, I told you mine."

She stared at me for a moment as if judging if I was worthy. Finally, she took a deep breath and said, "My family...they're a little different. I have four parents."

My brows furrowed as I mentally calculated the number of parent a normal household would have.

Kelly huffed impatiently and answered my silent question. "I have two moms and two dads."

My eyes widened with surprise and curiosity. Kelly ignored my stumped figure and continued, "I'm an IVF baby. I have lesbian moms and gay dads and since it's quite impossible for them to have their own child, they made me. Technically, I'm still their kid because one of my dads and moms are my biological parents."

"Okay..." I said slowly because it would be rude to stay quiet and my brain was still incapable to process the information.

"So yeah, now you know why I hated that word so much. I grew up hearing people yelling that word at my parents and seeing the word freak painted across the walls."

Humans are shit, I mused silently.

"Well, on the bright side, you get twice the presents for Christmas," I blurted out.

Kelly's face looks distorted from having trapped in between feeling surprised and amused. "That's...that's one way to put it."

"Their loss," I added.

Kelly grinned and punched my shoulder playfully. "Thanks."

I shrugged my shoulders and feigned nonchalance when deep down, I was still shell-shocked from the sudden revelation.

All of a sudden, Kelly slapped her hands together as if she had made an important decision and announced, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to mend my broken heart." She sniffed and turned to backtrack our path earlier.

Broken heart?

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

Her feet slowed to a halt before she turned her head. Her earlier bubbly demeanour was gone and she was wearing a sad smile.

"I like you, Adrian."

✈

Author's note

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{Song: Cinema Love by Patrick Martin}