A/N: I hate this chapter...I wrote it when I was super stressed so it has horrible descriptions and lacks essence and...just please read it and tell me if I should edit anything.

My parents gave me a deadline to finish this book cuz my finals are coming up so T~T.....
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Julian sat on the couch. His mom sat beside him, while his dad occupied his favourite armchair. Neither of them said a word. Julian felt his mother squeeze his shoulder in encouragement, asking him to speak out. Letting him know that she would listen.

" I'm gay," Julian started, " I know it's hard for you both to accept it...but it's the truth. Being gay...it's not a choice. I didn't get to choose who I want to be attracted to. And my feelings, they cannot be changed. Being gay...it's not a disease or a malfunction. You're my parents...and I love you both and I thank you for all that you've done for me over the years. But you have to know that this is permanent. I refuse to pretend that I'm attracted to girls. If I do I'll just be lying to myself all my life. And that is the real sin. Lying to yourself. I really want you to understand. Please give me a chance. Give this a chance"

There was silence for a few seconds and then his mother spoke.

" It won't ever be the same again...but I will try my best. I love you Juli...but it hurts that there will always be people who are going say horrible things about you—"

" Mom. I've learnt to deal with it. People will always have something to say. It's just how the world works"

" I love you baby. And I'm sorry about..." his mom trailed off with a painful smile on her face. She kissed his head and ruffled his hair " I'll do my best"

" Thank you" Julian smiled.

He looked at his dad whose eyes were on the floor. His father stood up suddenly " Okay. But I hope you know that I'm still not happy about this. But if this will keep you happy then alright I guess"

" Thank you" Julian said earning a nod from his dad.

A few minutes later he was in his room on the phone with Ren.

" I'm so proud of you!" his cousin said, his words almost undecipherable because of the pizza slice stuffed in his mouth. The whole slice...

" Communication is key I guess...huh? Anyway...Ren, I don't think Ashlynn -"

" I'm sorry. Who? That chick was using me for her own sick amusement. She likes to see guys pine after her. It's sick as fuck. She told me she was developing feelings for me. But today after practice I went to the old biology lab to find my reference books. And she was there sitting on the counter. You know Tyler Peterson? He was literally knelt down between her legs—"

" Too much information. I didn't need to have that image in my head" Julian whined disgustedly. He definitely didn't need details about someone else's sex life. Especially if that someone else was his cousin's ex-crush.

" Stop being a kid Julian. I was the one who saw it. You're just hearing about it" Ren grumbled.

" ....so what did you do?"

" What do you think? It was free porn so I just stood there and watched—"

" Fuck's sake Ren..."

" I just went away Julian. Did you want me to join them?" Ren asked, exasperation evident in his voice.

" Yeah," Julian snorted, " As if that could ever happen...I bet you were blushing for like three hours after that"

" Just two and a half hours this time" Ren drawled sarcastically at his cousin. " How's it going with Wynter?"

Julian choked on his own breath and erupted into a fit of coughs " I'm sorry what?"

" You know.... the dude with one grey eye and one brown one. Brown haired. Real silent. Moody as heck unless you're around him—"

" Warren, I know who you're talking about. I don't wanna talk about it. So change the topic"

" No can do. Sorry...what's new? Did you start flirting yet?"

Julian almost replied with a No but caught himself in the last moment " Uh there was this one time...I told him he sucked and he was like- You wish I would. Does that count?"

There was silent on the other side for a moment and then Ren's voice almost blasted off Julian's eardrums " Dude! That's amazing! He's opted for innuendos! Wow. This is great! Wait a second I need to update mom on this new development in your life"

Julian rolled his eyes when he heard his aunt squeal in celebration on the other side of the line.

" Jule, tell me more. Come on" Ren insisted. Julian knew that his cousin was currently smiling goofily, waiting for more information to tease him with.

" I'm not telling you anything Ren. I'm going to get some sleep. I'll see you later"

" You disappoint me so much on a daily basis. Why do I still keep up with your shit?"

Julian laughed at Ren's melodramatic words " Because I'm awesome."

" And I'm the King of Atlantis" Ren announced sarcastically.

" Take your sarcasm control pills Warren. It's exceeding the limit." Julian said, checking his diary for last minute homework and then groaning immediately when he spotted his Math Worksheet sticking out from between his reference books.

" I'm going to assume that groan was because of your homework. Jule...you ever noticed how in most of the high school movies no one ever does homework? Like...how do yall pass?"

" That's why it's called a movie" Julian muttered, putting his phone on speaker mode before reaching for a pencil. He started to work on the problems, simultaneously listening to his cousin rant about Top Ten Unrealistic Things About High schools Shown On TV.

" Also...when is Rebecca's party? I heard she got into an Ivy League" Ren said.

Rebecca Quinn was the smart girl. The kind of person who knew everything about the world. No wonder she got into an Ivy League. It wasn't surprising. Rebecca had her whole life planned out before her. Her dream was always to work at NASA and make a spaceship that could travel to other galaxies and prove to the world that aliens exist.

" This Friday. I'm going. It'll help blow off some steam" Julian answered absent-mindedly scribbling down a mixture of alphabets and numbers.

" Julian...do you mind if I go out with Reagan?"

Julian paused the nibbling on his pencil and frowned. Ren and Reagan? Reagan and Ren? Sure Ren was a good person but just a few hours ago he was crushing on another girl and now he wanted to go out with someone he gave a ride home to just today?

" I don't mind...just don't use her as a rebound. She'll grill you on a barbecue with sauces and eat you for dinner" Julian told Ren, stuffing his worksheet into a folder and stretching his back muscles to free them.

" No I would never. I genuinely want to know her better..." Ren protested, " She used to like Wynter before?"

Julian shook his head " I don't think so. Reagan has a crush on a new person every day. Just yesterday she had a crush on Jason Wesley and then changed her mind when—"

" —he made a sexist comment?" Ren cut in with a laugh, " Yeah. Quite predictable if you ask me. The guy's an ass. He apparently still believes in women staying at home and doing what they were made to do. If he accidentally gets pushed off a cliff I'm going to attend his funeral with a congratulatory bouquet for his girlfriend. Although I'm pretty sure she's going to be non-existent anyway"

" I'll be the one to push him off the cliff" Julian announced jokingly, making Ren chuckle.

" Sure...anyway, Jule about the party...Wynter's coming. He just texted me back" Ren informed helpfully.

" Since when does he go to parties?" Julian scowled, an image of a drunk Wynter making out with a random person flashing in his mind.

" Since I told him you're gonna be there" Julian's cousin answered in a cheerful tone that didn't help the green-eyed boy's flare of jealousy and annoyance diminish. It was still burning bright waiting for the gentle breezes of assurance to lull it to sleep.

" What about Hayden?" Julian asked, " Who's gonna take care of her?"

" Wynter says she's sleeping over at her best friend's house. You know Zach Hudson? The sophomore on the football team? The goalkeeper? His little brother Xavian and Hayden are like inseparable. It's kinda cute actually. I ship them"

Julian snorted " You ship everyone. I want to ship you—"

"—with Black Widow?" Ren asked excitedly.

" — I want to ship you off to another continent" Julian continued calmly and then ignored his cousins whines of protest.

When Ren finally stopped ranting to Julian about why he should be treated kindly, he turned back to the topic about Wynter Black "Jule, do you like him?"

" Yeah. It's fucking scary Ren" Julian admitted, interlocking his finger and cupping the back of his neck frustratedly.

" It should be. It always is. But it's a different reason for everyone. Why are you scared?" Ren asked.

" I never said I was scared. I just said that it was scary" Julian said, hoping to divert the conversation.

" That's the same thing Julian. Now answer the question" Ren said, refusing to succumb to his cousin's tricks.

Julian exhaled in resignation " I just....do you ever get these thoughts about how the happiness will last for only a little time and then you'll be alone again? I guess that's what I'm afraid of"

" Makes sense" was the only thing Ren said.

A/N:

Keep on living xx