Charlie (UNREVISED)

Chapter 31

Thank you for 4K!

***

Adler took me over to the end of the walkway, cracking his knuckles like some sort of anxiety tick. I stare at him, tilting my head. "Do you... not like—?"

"No!" Adler says loudly, turning around to set his hands on my shoulders. "I knew you were going to say that. No, I don't have any problems with Angel and you or anything..." I relax, nodding my head and he slowly lets me go. "I just... wanted to ask you a question."

I raise an eyebrow. "Okay. Ask away."

I can feel Adler's heart shoot up into his throat and he begins to sweat profusely. I frown, worried. "I won't judge whatever you're worried about. Just blurt it out, like ripping a bandaid—"

"How are you so comfortable?" He asks immediately, eyes looking around to make sure nobody can hear.

I furrow my eyebrows, confused. "I'm sorry, I don't really understand the question..."

"Like..." Adler's beginning to get frustrated, so I let myself dig a little deeper into his emotions.

"How am I comfortable with people knowing?" Adler glances at me, shocked I could guess correctly and I grin. "Adler, do you have something you want to tell me?"

My voice was soft and comforting, Adler's shoulders relaxing as he takes a deep breath and sighs it out. "I may... like somebody..."

"Is it another boy?"

"... Yes."

"Can... you tell me who it is?"

Adler slowly shakes his head and I nod, not wanting to make him too uncomfortable.

"I just wanted to ask how you guys are doing it. Cause I'm on the football team and everything, and I... I don't really want to be kicked off."

My eyes widen. "Kicked off? Why would you be kicked off?"

"They all would probably be uncomfortable with knowing I like someone the same gender as all of them..."

I blink, shocked. Yes, i've read a number of books on this subject where people get kicked or fired from certain jobs and clubs for things like this, but I never thought it would be this real.

"What does it matter if they're uncomfortable? Do you like someone on the team?" Adler shakes his head and I scoff. "Then they need to get their heads out of their ass. They think too highly of themselves if liking a boy means you'd be attracted to any of them. You're not, right?"

Adler shakes his head again.

"Why does liking a boy equal liking all of them?" I mutter to myself, grossed out. "How vain do they have to be—"

"Look, I just wanted to ask whether you and Angel are comfortable with more people knowing, and if not... I don't know... Would it make them mad if I wasn't out at school?"

I tilt my head. "Are you asking whether this person would be angry if you said you didn't want to go public?"

Adler nods, and I frown again. "Adler, if they get mad because you're not ready, they don't really like you."

At the athlete's wide eyes, I continue, thinking back to all the stupid dating advice my father gave me that actually ended up being quite useful.

"You should be with someone who will want to make you comfortable, just like how you're worrying about it for them. Whether you're out or not shouldn't matter, just being with you should be good enough for them. If not, forget about it, you need to dodge that bullet."