Then Do It

Chapter 12

I join Chloe and Brady at lunch as everyone around us talks and laughs.

"I told my mom last night," I smile. Chloe's pretty eyes shoot up from her food to me.

"How'd it go?" Brady asks.

"Good. She's accepting as ever," Chloe smiles and goes back to picking at her food.

"That's good."

"What's the status with the rest of your family?" Brady questions with his mouth full of pizza. 

"I'm thinking about putting something on FaceBook," I shrug. "Besides Mom and the entire school, no one else knows."

"If they don't accept you I can beat 'em up for you," Brady offers after he swallows the pizza he was chewing.

"Thanks, but I think I can handle it," I chuckle. "So, how were you guys' weekends?" 

"I'm not single anymore," Brady holds up a peace sign with his hand.

"Really?" Chloe and I look at him.

"Yeah, I have a boyfriend in the next town over from us," he smiles proudly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I lightly hit his shoulder from across the table. "I'm your best friend, I'm supposed to know these things."

"I was more caught up in helping him with his homework," Brady answers.

"Congrats dude," Chloe smiles.

"How was your weekend?" Brady and I turn to Chloe.

"Annoying," she sighs. "Victoria wouldn't let me leave my room without having to hear about how much drama she has and what her favorite celebrities are up to."

"I remember her doing that to me," I comment. "I am so sorry." Chloe laughs lightly at me and for some reason that sends a warm feeling through me.

"Don't be. I locked her out of my room and turned my music as high as I could to get her to leave me alone," Brady and I laugh a little. "My ears were ringing for a few minutes but it was worth it."

We spend the rest of lunch joking and discussing random topics until the bell rings. 

"I'm not kidding. Supergirl would and has beat the shit out of Superman." Chloe tells Brady as we all throw our trays away.

"She's not wrong," I agree.

"You guys like superheroes too much," Brady rolls his eyes as we all laugh before going to our classes.

Through the rest of the week, everytime I make Chloe laugh I get really happy and the few times she's hugged me, I could feel my heart drop before its speed skyrockets. 

"Are you sure?" Brady asks me as the three of us sit on Brady's bed with my phone out. 

"Yeah," I take a deep breath before lightly tapping the screen and setting it on the bed. "Holy shit. I just came out to at least half my extended family." I clasp my hands over my mouth.

"You can always take it down," Chloe shrugs.

"No. I can't. I've done it and now I just have to distract myself until I get reactions," I compose myself and set my phone aside. "What should we do now?"

"Video games?" Brady suggests.

"Sure," Chloe and I say in unison. Brady makes sure everything is in the right spot and sits in front of his bed as Chloe and I lay on our stomachs on the bed behind him.

I try to ignore that I just posted a paragraph onto FaceBook telling everyone I'm a boy. The teachers at school got the hint when I started writing "Asher Carter" on all of my assignments. A few of them asked about it and I explained but they all call me Asher now.

As we play the game we joke around and laugh. We spend the rest of the night playing games before turning on a movie. The three of us lay on Brady's bed and watch the movie. 

About half way through the movie I feel Chloe's head drop onto my shoulder causing me to tense up for a second. Her breathing is steady as she sleeps with her mouth slightly open.

I look at Brady to find him sleeping too. I smile and slightly shake my head at my friends as Brady drools on his own shoulder. As the movie continues I can't help but feel so happy slipping off to sleep with two of my three favorite people in this world.