hello, goodbye, hello.

Chapter 22: How the Cookie Crumbles

"Thanks again for meeting me, It means a lot." EJ said, taking a seat on the bench outside East High. 

"Yeah yeah yeah, let's not waste any time. What's the tea?" Carlos asked impatiently. "You said Miss Jenn was dropping hints about the fall musical. Honestly, I'm a little offended she'd tell you first before me, not like I wasn't going to find out anyway, but still."

"Actually...I kind of maybe lied about the whole fall musical thing..." EJ smiled guiltily. He had tried his best to stop lying so much and between Gina and now Carlos, he was on a bad streak, but he didn't know how else to get Carlos to meet with him.

Hearing this development, Carlos gasped dramatically, betrayed. 

"What's your game Caswell? How dare you lure me to school during the summer under false pretenses. I even came dressed in my incognito look! It took me hours to find sunglasses to match this trench coat! I'm out of here!"

"I'm sorry for lying, I just needed to talk to someone who might...understand what I'm going through." EJ said before Carlos could storm off. 

Carlos once again looked intrigued. He and EJ may not be the closest of friends, but he couldn't help but feel a little honored that EJ might need his help. Not wanting to drop his annoyed facade, Carlos sat back down and sighed loudly.

"Alright. I'll bite. What is it that I might understand."  Carlos said, putting air quotes around the word understand. 

"Okay, this is like a real secret so you can't tell anyone, okay? That's why I wanted to meet at school, I didn't think anyone would be around to overhear."

"Fiiiine. I'll keep it a secret, now telll meee!" 

"You have to promise me you won't mention this conversation to another soul."

Carlos wanted to protest, but, taking off his sunglasses, he saw what looked like actual fear in EJ's eyes  and it made him realize he was actually being serious. 

"What's going on with you EJ?"

"Promise me."

"Okay. Alright." Carlos said, sticking out his pinky. "I promise, whatever you have to tell me, it stays between us." 

EJ sighed in relief and interlocked his pinky with Carlos's. It felt kind of silly, but he knew that a pinky promise from Carlos held the same power as a legally binding contact. He wouldn't break it.

"Okay...so a few days ago I was out with Gina and we started talking about our relationship and she ended up telling me that she's...bi."

"Oh yeah, I knew that." Carlos said matter of factly.

"You did?"

"Of course. Gina and I had a very in depth choreographer spa date back during Beauty and the Beast. I always had my suspicions about her anyway. No straight girl talks about wanting Birkenstocks that much. And-Wait a minute, is that why you brought me here? To talk about Gina? Are you thinking about breaking up with her because she's bi? Because If you are, know that I am ride or die for Gina, not to mention I am not about to stand for this blatant case of bi-phobia!"

"No no no! Nothing like that! I wouldn't break up with her...over that, let me finish. She told me she was bi...because I-well she thinks I might...be bi also..."

Carlos's jaw dropped.

"Okay! Now that is that the kind of tea worth coming here for! You know I would've never really pegged you for being queer. But I guess it makes sense that Gina would. Pun intended."