“It’s really not that hard, Aiden!” Justin shouted, flailing his arms about. “This is Justin, my boyfriend. Was that so difficult?!”
“Yes, it is! Justin, I’m not ready be gay with the mass of King! I can’t be gay right now! Scouts for college don’t look twice at gay athletes!”
“That’s why you won’t come out, are you kidding me?! You sure it’s not because your ashamed to say you screw men?!”
“Justin! I don’t screw men! Just you, only you! I just can’t come out.” Aiden said, lowering his voice and his head.
“That’s a shame. I just can’t be with you then.” It broke his heart to say, but Justin had to stand his ground.
Aiden’s gaze shot up from his shoes to Justin’s face. “Are you breaking up with me??”
“If you can’t come out to these people, who aren’t even your friends, yes, I can’t be with you anymore.”

***************************

Aiden had tears in his eyes and on his cheeks as he confessed to Ashley that he was in love with a guy and that if he didn’t come out, hed lose him forever, or at least until he did come out.
Ashley let everything that Aiden had just told her sink in. Once everything registered, she calmly said, “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know! I love him, Ash, I just don’t know if I can come out to everyone. Glen, Madison, the team, could you imagine what they’d all say?! I’d be a laughing stock with everything, let alone get booted off the team!”
“Is he worth it?” Ashley, still calm.
Aiden lowered his head and whispered, “Maybe.”

***************************

“Thanks for letting me crash here.” Justin said, thankfully, to Spencer.
“No problem. With my mom not here, my dad’s pretty much the coolest person on the planet. What’s going on that you can’t stay with Aiden, though?”
“He refuses to come out. That doesn’t go over to well with me. He drives me crazy! I left my boyfriend for him and he doesn’t even acknowlege that he’s with me in public! I just don’t want to be some gay science project for a straight sport-star!”
“Is he worth it?” Spencer said, calmly.
Justin lowered his head and whispered, “Maybe.”

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