For the past week, I've been avoiding school, Charlotte, and Damon. Theresa's noticed my strange behavior and has asked me about it. I couldn't find the will to tell her. I've been praying, asking God why I'm gay. I'm asking him to please take it away. I know it's a sin and I don't want to go to hell. I ask him why did this happen to me? But I get no response. Mother calls me down because we're going to church. So I brush my teeth, gel my hair and get dressed.

"Are you feeling any better, Tristan?" mother asks me. The only reason I haven't been at school this week is because I told them I was sick, and of course they believed that after watching me vomit (though that was from being hungover).

"I don't know. I don't feel warm but I still have a headache and my stomach is in knots."

"Well sick or not you're going to school tomorrow. We can't afford for your grades to drop because of some little flu, understood?" father asks a question when really it's a command, but I nod.

—

"Leviticus 18:22, You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination!" the church nods their heads and claps. I feel uncomfortable. It may be a sin, but these people take it differently. Just because being gay is a sin, doesn't mean I'm a bad person.

Not all people think that way though. I know that 66% percent of these church folk will gladly let a homosexual in their home, clothe them, feed them, and won't tell them of what their fate is. Yet the other percentage would never do such kind things for gay people.

"Now my brothers and sisters, I have a scripture for you that I feel you must carry with you for the rest of your life." I roll my eyes not wanting to hear it until it actually reaches my ears.

"Galatians 3:28, There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." I'm so confused. They say being gay is a sin, yet now they say you are no better than your fellow man so treat everyone equally? If only everyone treated their fellow man equally.

—

"That was a beautiful sermon." mother says. We're driving back home and I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I open it up to see a text from Charlotte.

*we need to talk*

I scoot the screen away from my sisters vision as I reply. *what about?*

We pull up to our driveway and in our headlights vision is Jace and Charlotte, tattoos and all. My eyes widen in horror as my mother gasps and my father fumes in anger. Just then my phone vibrates with another text from Char.

*you're avoiding us*

"Uh, excuse me can I help you?" mother politely asks them. I pray to God they don't say they're here for me.

"Yes actually," Charlotte says. She looks at me and I send her a pleading expression to act like total strangers. "my boyfriend and I are lost." she says making me sigh in relief.

"Oh, well where are you off to?' mother asks. Father tries to stay with mother but she sends him and Theresa inside, father tells me to stay out and protect mother so I oblige.

"Well we're trying to get to a bar but we got lost at the round-about." she says like it's a normal everyday conversation but mom looks phased.

"Well, uh, are you old enough to drink, dear?" Charlotte smiles politely at mother, almost fondly.

"I'm going to pick up my brother ma'am." mom looks almost relieved so she tries giving them directions but she's never been to the bar before so it makes no sense.

"well maybe your son can drive us there. We're classmates so I'm sure he wouldn't mind directing us, and we'll drop him off right after." Jace speaks finally. Mom looks unsure but I tell her it's fine. So she obliges and I get in the backseat of Charlotte's mini-cooper.

"So, what's up Tris?' Jace asks. Jace doesn't usually talk. I've heard stories of times where he converses before he kicks someone's ass. I gulp in fear that he may want to kick mine.

"Uh, yeah good man, good. Uh, we just got back from church."

"Oh really? How was that?"

"It, uh, it-it was great."

"Was it as great as ignoring my girlfriend?" he asks. I freeze in fear. We're just driving around the block multiple times to pass time.

"Jace I,"

"Charlotte cares about you, and it makes me mad to know that she's upset because you're ignoring her." he starts to get angry.

"Babe, it's fine. I'm here to talk to Tristan and you're here because you want to drink." she pulls out a beer for him from under her seat and tells him to shut up and drink. He huffs before snatching it from her grip and taking large gulps.

"So, I'm assuming you're avoiding us because Damon told you about us knowing." she says. I nod my head knowing she can see from the rear view mirror.

"Tris, we wanted you to find out on your own. It's harder to accept when people tell you what you are. You should be the only person who tells you who you are." Now I feel bad. They were looking out for me, not mocking me behind my back.

"I'm sorry Charlotte, this is new to me."

"Well, luckily we know what you're going through because we go through it every day. It's not a choice, no one would choose to get threatened, bullied, attacked and hated on. It's hard but eventually you learnt to just not give a fuck." Charlotte's words hit me like a truck. She's so wise beyond her years and I thank God for bringing her into my life. We could all learn something from her.

"Thank you, Charlotte. I'm sorry for avoiding you all. I'll be at school tomorrow." I tell her. She smiles before pulling up to my house.

"Good, see you tomorrow." she says. I smile before patting her shoulder.

"See you tomorrow."

—

a/n: I meant to make this longer but the endin for this chapter deserves to be its own chapter so yeah :) anyways I FOUND MY NOTEBOOK SO EARLY UPDATE!! And s/o to @2DDrock99 because your story is so friggin amazing so far :) don't forget to vote, comment and share you guys !! xx