Houseboy ➳ Larry AU |English|

Chapter 21.

It's been three days since Harry turned down Louis' invitation, and he still feels guilty. On the other hand there is Michael, he is very cute and attentive always, so he doesn't want to hurt his feelings. It's so hard all this. There is also Jimena, encouraging him to confess his secret to the owners of the house. Harry is very afraid that everything will go wrong and he will end up in the street, but Jimena is right, it's better to say the truth.

It's 9:00 pm, and Louis hasn't returned since he left for soccer practice in the morning. Harry takes advantage of his absence to join his parents in the living room. They are sitting on the couch across from him and Harry is alone on the other couch, playing with his hands.

"Mr. and Mrs. Tomlinson, I have something to confess." He looks up a little. Mr. Tomlinson frowns slightly.

"What happened, Harry?" He asks interested.

"I know I should have confessed this to you from the beginning, but I was afraid that if I told you.... Maybe you wouldn't accept me as a houseboy. I needed the job and for that simple reason I decided to keep quiet." He bites his lip, trying to suppress his nerves and find courage.

"Harry, you're worrying me. What do you have to tell us, dear?" Johannah asks in a kind voice.

"I'm... Uhmm, I'm gay." He finally confesses and covers his face after saying it, as a protective barrier against possible attacks.

Mrs. and Mr. Tomlinson share confused looks, and then observe the boy hunched over and visibly embarrassed with both trembling hands covering his face. He looks as if he has just confessed something terribly wrong, or the worst sin in the world. Johannah doesn't want Harry to feel that way, it breaks her heart to see him like this, he hasn't done anything wrong.

"Harry, honey, can you look at us?" Her voice is so sweet and Harry can't ignore it. He pulls his hands away slowly and looks up at them, fearful.

"I'm so sorry. I'm really sorry." He apologizes. His lower lip has begun to tremble and his heart is pounding.

"Why are you sorry?" Johannah asks again, cocking her head to one side.

"For acting like an idiot. I feel like I've gone back to the exact moment when I confessed to my parents. It was... It was the worst day of my life. The saddest. They... They just didn't take it in the best way, I thought it would be good to tell them because I really needed their support for everything I was experiencing in my life, I wanted them to be the first to know, I was fifteen, my dad packed his bags and left the country the next day, and my mom blamed me for destroying her perfect marriage, she also blamed me for all the bad things that happened in the house, she despised me daily.... And she never treated me with love again.... Everyone in my family are Christians and they saw me as the biggest sinner of humanity.... My mom forced me to read the bible many times to get me to take the right path, I felt very bad because she really thought I could be cured. I just wanted her approval and support to move forward, but everyone in my family turned against me. It was the most painful day.... I'm sorry." His voice cuts off at the end thanks to the huge lump stuck in his throat, the tears are there, but he won't let them come out, he promised not to cry again because of his family's rejection. He has cried enough for them.

"Mark..." Johannah nudges her husband lightly, looking sadly at the desolate boy in front of them who hugs himself trying to comfort himself.

"Son, everything is going to be all right. No one will turn against you, you're a good boy and that doesn't change anything." Mark speaks, making Harry's gaze focus on him.

"D-really?" The man smiles kindly and nods.

"Of course. We're not that kind of people in this family, you can't change who you are and that's fine with us, your sexuality doesn't make you a sinner, you're still Harry, you're still a good boy and that's what it's all about. I would be angry if you were a criminal or confessed to me that you were using drugs, but it doesn't bother me that you are gay, I won't treat you differently or stop getting close to you. I want you to know that you have our support. Your parents made a big mistake, they don't know how much they have lost."