It Can Work Out

Andy

(Two weeks before moving day)

Looking in his mirror, Andy couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh, he'd put his shirt on backward and inside out. "Come on," he said to himself, "telling them isn't going to be that hard, they are your closest friends." Today is a day he's been working up to for months. He's finally going to lift the burden he's been carrying around for a very long time. His three best friends, who he'd known for years are Alex, Kyle, and Roger. Basically, they grew up together. They shared secrets, feelings, good times and bad. But Andy never felt comfortable exposing to them the whole truth.

The guys arrived at Andy's house as usual. Roger took one look at Andy and knew there was something up. He turned to his friend and in a calm voice, one that showed how much he cared for his friend and said, "Dude, you look like you've lost your best friend, and since we're all here with you, I know it's not that. What's wrong?"

Andy's emotions were in turmoil. He'd known for over a year that he was different from his friends. He was hopeful that they would take this news positively, but he was extremely frightened to actually say what was on his mind. Finally, he looked his friends sitting together on the sofa and said, "Guys, I'm not sure how to say this, and I hope it doesn't change things between us, but... I'm sorta different to you guys in a big way. I think I'm gay."

He looked at the three boys he's been closest to almost his entire life, hoping to see something... anything that would give him a clue to their reaction. After nearly a full minute of silence, a single tear slid down his cheek. He'd lost them. He was sure of it. Finally, he saw a reaction.

"What the fuck do you mean? You can't be gay." Kyle shouted.

Before it got out of hand, Roger jumped in with, "Come on, Kyle. This is Andy we're talking about. The same Andy that we've shared everything with for years! This doesn't change a thing!"

"Bullshit it doesn't! What, have you been jacking off thinking of us? Do you want to infect US with your sickness? Well, you can count me out! I don't even want to think about you ever again. Keep the fuck away from me or I'll fucking kill you!" Kyle screamed, then left. As fast as he could.

Andy was devastated. Tears were pouring down his face. Alex and Roger approached their friend and wrapped him in a hug between them. Alex, a little choked up at that moment, in a voice just above a whisper told his best friend what he thought. "Dude, you've been like a brother to us since we were little. This doesn't change a thing. Kyle is being an asshole and we all know it. Friendships like ours don't end because of something like this. Roger said it best, I think. You're the same person you were 10 minutes ago, and we loved you then and we love you now."

"I'm sorry, guys. I didn't want this. I tried to think different, but I couldn't." Andy cried on his friend's shoulder. The two boys held him and let him calm down.

After a few hours, Andy felt better. Roger had told him that if someone is a true friend, something like this shouldn't matter. If it did, then they weren't truly a friend. They talked together for another hour about other things. Totally accepting Andy for the person he is. He felt truly blessed to have friends like these two. True, neither shared his particular tastes in partners, but that didn't matter. He was their friend and would always be so.

As they were talking, Andy's father returned home from work. Andy looked at his father with a puzzled look and said, "You're home early, Dad. You never come home early, is everything okay?"

"Andy, we need to discuss a few things. Alone. I think it would be best for Alex and Roger to head home."

Roger took the hint and answered for both he and Alex, "It's okay Mr. Williams. It's about time for us to head home for dinner anyway." He turned to Andy and said, "See you tomorrow, Bro. Friends before, friends now, friends forever."

The two boys left and Andy turned to his dad. His father looked into his eyes and knew. He'd told his friends. This was going to make what he had to tell his son even harder. He had hoped to tell him before he invested the emotional currency to tell his friends something he'd only been told a week before when Andy told him he was gay. "Sit down, son. I'm not sure you'll like what I have to say, but we have very little choice." He looked at his son sitting on the sofa looking at his father nervously.

The beginnings of tears in his eyes after the emotional afternoon he'd already had. He just knew this was going to be bad news. Andy swallowed a lump that had grown in his throat threatening to choke him and asked, "Is it Grandpa? Did he die?"

Jim, Andy's father knew how close Andy was to his deceased wife's father. When Tina died, Andy was only eight years old. Grandpa Mike was Andy's anchor. "No, Grandpa Mike is fine, as a matter of fact, he'll be coming to visit next week. I talked to him a few hours ago. What I needed to talk to you about is that the company is transferring me. We've got to move in two weeks."

Andy's world shattered. He'd just opened up to his friends! He told them everything and, at least two of them, accepted him with open arms. How could he do that again? It took him months to get the guts to tell the guys he'd known for years! Now he was going to have to go someplace he'd never been. With people he didn't know. And he was going to have to lie to them about who he really was. This was totally unfair. "Dad! No! We can't move! I don't WANT to move! I can't leave my friends! This is totally unfair!" Andy then ran out of the house. He needed to be alone.

Andy sat on the bench of the picnic table in the back yard, tears streaming down this face. How could this happen? He'd just taken a huge step. He'd admitted to the guys closest to him that he was gay. He could finally stop living a lie. He could finally be himself. He sat there for the better part of an hour when his dad sat next to him. Andy turned his head to look at his father and quietly said, "I'm sorry dad."

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about. I'm the one who should be apologizing to you." After a few moments of silence, and in a soft and caring voice he continued, "So you told them. How did it go?"

"Not as good as I hoped. Kyle hates me now. He said he doesn't even want to think about me anymore. Roger and Alex were cool though."

"Well, you knew that coming out might push away a friend or two, but what Roger said before he left was very true. 'Friends before, friends now, friends forever.' That tells me something. It tells me that you have shown your friends that you are valuable enough to them to stick by you. I never doubted that."

"So, where are we moving?"

"It's a place called 'Hidden Valley'. Nice place actually. Much smaller town than we live in now."

Andy giggled. "Hidden Valley? Like the salad dressing?"

Jim chuckled, "Like the salad dressing. But I think you'll like it. You'll make new friends in no time."

"I hope so, Dad." Andy then hugged his dad and mumbled into his shoulder, "Fine thing, balling my eyes out at my age."

Jim rubbed his son's back and said, "Crying doesn't make you less a man, son. Being able to express your emotions is one thing I hope you never outgrow."

Tommy

Tommy stared at the ceiling in his bed. He was fully clothed and on top of the covers. He just needed some time to think. He'd come to the conclusion he might be gay, but was having trouble fully accepting it. He was frightened. He worried about what would happen if people found out. After some time, he got off the bed and went to his computer, turning it on then opening a web browser. He'd have to remember to clear his history so his parents wouldn't find out what he was looking up.

He opened his browser and went to the Google home page. In the search box he looked up, 'coming out teens'. He saw a lot of websites, and a few YouTube channels. He opened the YouTube ones first. He was amazed at the number of kids making videos. Kids his age and even younger. One was even saying how he came out at 9 years old. Watching the videos made him feel a bit better about himself.

He cleared his history, shutdown the computer, and leaned back in his chair. The more he thought about it the clearer it became in his own mind. He was coming to grips with accepting himself as gay. The next step in his thought process was whether or not he could tell anyone. The answer to that was clear in his mind. 'No Fucking Way!' The entire concept of divulging something like that made him shake. But he felt better about the fact that at least he was able to admit to himself that he was gay.

Alone in his reflection, Tommy allowed his mind to wander. A desire began to fill his thoughts.

"What would it be like," he wondered, "to actually have a boyfriend. Me. In love." As much as it scared him on almost every level, he liked the feeling.

(One Week Later)

Andy

He heard noises. He heard voices. Dad. And... Grandpa Mike! Andy tossed his blankets hopped out of bed and ran downstairs. "GRANDPA MIKE!" He yelled as he plowed into his grandfather wrapping him in a tight hug.

"Whoa there bucko. Don't break an old man. Besides, you might want to put that thing away before it drives right through me like a pirate's sword." Grandpa Mike chuckled.

Andy took a look down and with a deep scarlet blush he retreated to his room to get himself more 'presentable'.

Better dressed he sheepishly crept back down the stairs. Still blushing he returned to his grandfather and gave him another hug. "Sorry. I was just excited to see you again, Grandpa."

"I could tell." Mike grinned.

"Oh come on, you told me yourself that morning wood is perfectly normal and nothing to be ashamed of. Besides it's not like I think you're 'hot'."

"Oh come on gay boy. You know you think I'm a total stud." He placed his arms around his grandson and took on a more caring tone as he said, "I heard about your telling your friends. How are things working out?"

"Roger and Alex are being totally cool about it. I just wish I didn't have to move. It took a lot for me to tell them."

"Andy, listen, you took a chance. One of many you'll have to take in life. Sometimes they work out, sometimes they don't. This one worked out for the most part. Maybe not exactly as you had hoped, but it worked out. When you get to your new home, and have had some time to adjust, the experience will make you stronger for the next time."

"Grandpa? Do you really think there's someone out there for me?"

"Andy, even though I might be just a little biased, I think any boy who earns your love would be a very, very lucky boy. As a matter of fact. I have a hunch that within a very short time after you move, you'll meet someone very special."

"I hope you're right, Grandpa. The whole idea of having a boyfriend really feels good. I just hope it happens."

"So, we have a whole house to pack up. Enough of this 'mushy stuff'. Let's get to work."

[To Be Continued]