Page 29 of No More Jocks

"Wait, how did you know I was in jail?"

"Your brother face-timed me and gave me the information. He’s gotten more muscular and sexier. I love the facial hair."

"Kim, please stay away from my brother. It would just make things weird."

"I’m not making any promises. You know I love chocolate." I ignored her comment because I knew she was just saying this to annoy me.

"Thank you, Kim, for having my back." I hugged her tightly, but she pushed me off her.

"Have you called him?" Kim asked.

"I think he changed his number."

"Do you need to use my phone?"

"Naw, I’ll talk to him at school tomorrow. I think we need to talk in person."

"That’s smart. You in love with him?"

"I think I am."

"Then you know what you must do. It will be scary, but it may be time to come out of the closet and be your authentic self. The people who love you will not care, and the ones that don’t. Fuck them." Kim was right. I was at a crossroads and had a challenging but pivotal decision to make.

Kim gestured for me to sit down at the dining table, which was already set with a plate of food that looked like it could feed a small army. "Here, eat up. You need your strength."

I took a seat and began to dig into the food. The smell of bacon and eggs filled the air, and the first bite was heavenly. Kim always knew how to make me feel better, whether it was with her words or her cooking.

"You know, I’ve been thinking about what you said about coming out and I think it’s time," I said between bites. "It’s not just about me. It’s about Caleb too. I don’t want to put him in a position where he has to hide who he is because of me."

Kim nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. "That’s true. But you also have to think about yourself. You can’t live your life for other people. You have to do what makes you happy."

I sighed, pushing my plate away. "I know. It’s just hard. I’ve been hiding this part of myself for so long, it’s like I don’t know how to be anything else."

Kim reached across the table and took my hand. "You don’t have to do this alone, Marcus. You have me, and you have Caleb. We’ll be there for you every step of the way."

I smiled at her, grateful for her support. "Thanks, Kim. I don’t know what I’d do without you."

She grinned back at me. "Probably starve. Now finish your food before it gets cold."

I laughed and continued to eat, feeling a little lighter than I had before. Kim always had a way of making me feel better, no matter what the situation was.

After breakfast, we moved to the living room, where Kim turned on the TV and put on a movie. I wasn’t really paying attention to what was on the screen, my mind still consumed with thoughts of Caleb and the future. She continued to watch the movie, but my mind was elsewhere. I was thinking about the future, about what it would be like to live on my own, to be with Caleb openly, to not have to hide who I was anymore. It was a scary thought, but also an exciting one.

As the day wore on, I found myself growing more and more determined. I was going to talk to Caleb tomorrow, and I was going to tell him how I felt. I was going to come to the world, and I was going to start living my life on my own terms.

It wasn’t going to be easy, but nothing worth having ever was. And I knew that with Kim and Caleb by my side, I could face anything.

Later that evening, after Kim had gone to bed, I found myself lying awake, staring up at the ceiling. I couldn’t stop thinking about Caleb, about the future, about what it would be like to finally be free.

I knew that tomorrow was going to be a big day, a day that would change everything. But I was ready for it. I was ready to take that step, to be brave, to be true to myself.

As I drifted off to sleep, I knew that no matter what happened, no matter what challenges lay ahead, I was ready to face them head-on. With Caleb by my side, I could do anything.

20

MARCUS

The chill of the morning air bit into my skin, but I wore nothing more than a tank top. It was the only shirt I had at Kim’s house, and I couldn’t bear the thought of Caleb seeing me in the same sweater from our date night. I hoped my bulging biceps might soften his anger, though I doubted he’d care about my appearance. My heart pounded with a mix of anxiety and determination as I set out on my mission to find Caleb and explain what had happened.

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