What Even is Love?

One

[Five years earlier]

David woke up and went downstairs, yawning. It was a normal summer morning. There were birds chirping off in the distance. The sun was shining brightly through the window. David went over to shut the blinds before he became blind. He turned around and saw that the kitchen lights were on. "Ma, are you down here?" David called.

"Shhh!" came a reply.

"Huh? Carly? What are you-"

Carly rushed at him and put him in a light choke hold, covering his mouth. "I said shh!" she whispered, "Mom is still asleep, let's keep it that way, eh?"

David struggled until she let go. "Fine. I'm going back to my room then."

"No, come to my room, I want to try something."

"Why should I? What are you planning?"

"Because you're 12, I'm 15. I'm older, so you'll listen to me. Come on, I think you might like it."

He followed Carly to her room and shut the door behind him. "Okay so what do you have planned?"

Carly grinned and reached into the drawer in her vanity, pulling out a pouch covered in a floral print. "Is that your makeup bag?"

She nodded. "I've been wanting to practice on someone, and you're the only person around. I mean Mom is, but she's always busy with work, and I don't want to bother her. That's alright with you, right?"

Boys don't wear makeup. Any boy who wears makeup is girly and weak. Disgusting.

David found himself nodding his head anyhow, smiling when Carly clapped with excitement. She put on several creams and powders that he didn't know the name of. When she was finished, he turned to look at himself in the mirror. He was shocked at how great it made him look. "Wow," he muttered.

"That actually turned out pretty good, I'd say. What do you think?"

You pathetic excuse for a human being.

"I... I really like it, actually."

Carly grinned. "Wanna try on one of my old dresses? I have one that I think you could pull off. And it should fit you, since we're more or less the same height, and it probably still fits me."

Only girls wear dresses. Boys can't wear dresses, that's just plain gross.

"Sure, why not?"

He went into the bathroom and changed into the dress quickly and ran back to Carly's room. He then slipped on heels that his sister had for him. Carly turned on Katy Perry and they both started dancing around her room.

"What on earth you two it's like... five in the morning, why are you being so loud?"

David froze. Carly went and turned the music down. "Sorry, mom. It's actually like eight thirty, but we didn't mean to wake you."

Their mom frowned, but then smiled sadly when she saw David. "Aw poor you is Carly using you as her model? Though I have to admit, you don't look half bad. You did a pretty good job Carly, but you shouldn't force your brother to-"

"I wanted to!" David blurted.

Their mom looked at him, slightly shocked. "I-I gave her permission to. I k-kinda like this actually..." he stammered.

She smiled at him. "Okay, Sweety, I just wanted to make sure that your sister wasn't forcing you into anything you didn't want. Anyways, that's not the reason I came in here, your music wasn't actually that loud."

"Oh then why are you in here, Mom?" Carly asked.

A forced smile appeared on their moms face. "Your dad decided to pay his allotted visit this month. You two might want to get ready, he'll be here in about an hour, and he said he wanted to go somewhere fancy for lunch later."

Carly groaned. "Oh come on he knows we're not a fan of fancy places. And he's probably going to expect me to wear a dress, isn't he? And I-"

"Carly, please-" she sounded exhausted. "I know you don't want to, but none of us do." She glanced at David. "Just for a few hours, then we don't have to worry about him for another month, though that will more than likely be multiple months, if the same patterns continue."

She left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar. David turned to face his sister's body mirror. Disgusting. You look like one of those disgraces. You know, the mentally ill ones who think they like boys. So unnatural. Don't be like them.

A tear ran down David's face, and he brushed it away quickly. "Hey, you alright?" Carly asked him.

He looked down. "Y-yeah. I'm fine."

Carly sighed. "No, you're not. Come here."

She walked over to her bed and sat down, patting the space beside her. David took off the heels and sat by her. She slung an arm around him and pulled him close to her. "I know you don't like him. I don't either. He's such a self centered asshole, am I right?" she whispered.

David giggled. "Yeah, he is. I don't get why he's like that, or why he's still allowed to see us."

"Me neither."

They sat in silence for a moment. "...Hey can I tell you something?" Carly asked quietly.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"First you have to promise you won't tell Mom, I want to tell her on my own, but later."

"Okay, I promise. What are you going to tell me?"

She hesitated. "I'm gay."

David sat there in shock for a second. "Well a lesbian technically," she went on, "either way, I like girls. Is... is that okay with you?"

Remember, if your sister likes girls, she is a disgrace, just as you are if you like boys. If she likes girls, tell her that she isn't your sister. You deserve a better sister than that, one who's less disgusting.

"...Yes. Yes, that's okay with me. Of course it is. You're my sister, I love you no matter who you love."

I won't listen to you, Dad, David thought, she's still my sister, and I still love her.

Carly stared at David, tears welling in her eyes. "You mean it? Even after Dad...?"

David pulled her into a hug. "Of course."

Carly pulled away for a second. "Thank you," she said, smiling big and crying. She pulled him into a fierce hug.

After a couple seconds, she pulled away. "Hey, I'll always be here for you if you need anything, alright?"

David smiled. "Okay, sis. And same for you."

She smiled back. "Alright, let's get you cleaned up."