Fanboy // Luke Hemmings

Thirteen

Luke

"Luke? What the hell happened?" Louis demanded over the phone.

We hadn't talked in a while since we were both on tour but when we toured with them a while back, me and Louis got pretty close, (no, not like that), but I certainly helped him work stuff out with Harry.

So I basically told him the entire story from start to finish, from when I followed Evan to when I found the kissing picture.

He listened patiently and didn't interrupt me.

"That's all of it?" He said when I finally finished.

"Pretty much. Fuck Louis, what the hell do I do?"

"Hm. Well are you being forced against your will to stay in the closet?"

"Well.... Yes and no. Yes because Ashton is making me, and no because I don't really want to come out yet. But I think it's too late for that," I gave a fake laugh.

"Listen Luke. I know it's hard coming out and I'm proud of you for telling me and your other band mates, but I think you should come out. Me and Harry decided to do it together since well, we are together but if you and Evan want to come out together than that's nice, and if you want to come out alone well that's fine too."

My mouth felt like somebody stuffed it with cotton. "I'm just scared Louis, I don't want the fans to hate me. To hate Evan."

"Luke did you feel any different about me when me I came out with Harry?"

"No Louis, of course not."

"Did our fans feel any different about us?"

"Not that I know of, no."

"You see? They'll accept you for who you are and if they don't, then they aren't your real fans."

"Our fans are different though Louis!" I cried. "They might not take it the same!"

"Trust me. Everything will work out in the end," he promised, and hung up the phone.

******

"Luke? Who've you been talking to in there?" Michael poked his head into the hotel bedroom where I was pacing back and forth in for the last ten minutes, pondering Louis' words.

"Just an old friend," I muttered. "Can I ask you all something?"

"Yeah, sure. Lads! Get your asses in here, Luke wants to ask us something!"

Ashton and Calum appeared in the doorway looking anxious.

"What's wrong Luke?" Ashton asked. "We've got a show in two hours."

"Yeah I know," I said with a hint of annoyance. "But I really need to ask you guys something."

"What?" Calum asked.

"What do you think the fans would do if I came out?"

The three of them fell silent. "I don't know," Ashton finally said honestly.

"I think you should," Calum said quickly.

"Yeah, and do it now so our poor fans aren't stuck in some conspiracy that you're dating one of us." Michael laughed.

"But if I'm correct at the band you're hinting, they were dating one of the band members," I pointed out.

Michael gave an annoyed grunt. "That's not my point. My point is you should come out now so the fans aren't stuck in some guessing game like they were with you and Madison which turned out to be faked anyways."

"I just don't want them to hate me," I mumbled.

Ashton put a large hand on my shoulder. "Why would they hate you? I mean sure, most of them like you more than us, don't try to deny it. But if they're our real fans, then they'll accept you for who you are. Being gay isn't a crime, Luke."

"In your eyes it isn't!" I cried. "In some, maybe it is!"

"Luke I think you're forgetting that these are the fans that write gay smut about us that gives Michael such hard boners you could literally ram a door open with it," Calum smirked.

"Fuck off!" Michael snapped, his face pink.

I smiled half-heartedly. "I'll think about it, okay?"

"Take your time buddy, but not too much time, okay?" Ashton clapped me on the shoulder and left the room with Michael and Calum on his heels, leaving me alone in the plain white room.

Evan

I was on top of the entire world.

I saw the love of my life in concert, met him, kissed him and cuddled him all night long.

Yeah he had to leave on his world tour again but I knew he was coming back for me. If I could kiss Luke Hemmings, I could do anything.

I mean sure the photos leaked, but who cares? He couldn't keep it a secret forever.

"Hi babe," I said when he called me.

"Hey Ev.... You sound cheerful."

"Something wrong?"

"I'm just a little conflicted, that's all."

"About what?" I asked.

"Well, Ashton and Calum and Michael are all telling me to come out.

"That's great! When are you?"

There was a pause over the phone. "I'm not."

"What do you mean you're not coming out? All the fans are waiting for you." I said with a tinge of annoyance.

"Look," he said, "I just don't feel like it's the right time. Besides, nobody expects me to come out, they think I'm straight."

"Not anymore," I reminded him, "Luke they want you to come out."

"Well I'm not."

"God Luke, why are you being so fucking selfish?" I snapped.

"Me? Selfish? Evan if I come out my music career could end!"

"End because you're gay? That's the biggest bullshit I've ever heard. You're acting like it's horrible to be gay. Being gay doesn't change who you are Luke. Finally becoming true to yourself makes you a better person. I've known I was gay since I could remember and I've always accepted it. You should too," I fired back.

"Whatever, Evan," he said, and hung up.

With a frustrated groan, I threw my phone down on the bed and flopped down onto it, running my fingers down my face.

I suddenly knew what I needed to do. In order for Luke to come out, he needed motivation.

Right now he was in a bit of a situation with no motivation. I had to do it.

I crept quietly down the stairs and saw my Mother reading some long boring novel.

"Mom, can I talk to you?" I asked.

She snapped her book shut in annoyance. "What is it Evan? I'm busy."

I sat down tentatively on the sofa across from her and took a deep breath. "It'll only take a minute. There's something I need to tell you."

"Well what is it?"

"Um.... I'm- I'm gay."