Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā I hadnāt planned on telling my best friend Bianca Tyler that Iād been in a relationship with her brother Brandon; but the moment I learned he was back from Afghanistan, I knew the truth was going to have to come out. Brandon was only a year older than me and Bianca, but he was so much more mature than anyone our age. When we were in eleventh grade, he took my virginity on the night ofāhis senior and my juniorāprom. We were together throughout my senior year but our relationship suffered when he enlisted in the military. I admit, it was hard keeping that big of a secret from my best friend but I swore allegiance to Brandon that I wouldnāt tell her.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āMicah, I need to talk to you about Brandon,ā Bianca said to me as she stood in my doorway.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā I immediately tensed up and asked, āWhat about him?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āHe told the family something last night that I cannot believe.ā She stepped inside and told me, āHe told us heās bisexual.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Slightly relieved, I closed the door and asked her, āIs that a bad thing?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āWellā¦no but I wasnāt expecting it. I donāt know what made him tell us at this time butā¦I donāt know. I just donāt know how to feel about it.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āCome on, letās go up to my room and talk. You know how nosy my mama is.ā I grabbed her hand and led her upstairs to my bedroom.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Bianca and I talked about everything and usually nothing was off-limits, but preparing to talk to her about Brandon being bisexual knowing that Iād been with him was like walking barefoot on sharp needles. I usually didnāt think about Brandon whenever I talked to her, but now all I could think about was the last time I was with him. We had sex that day and then ended the relationship amicably. Iād moved on and I was sure heād moved on as well, but that did nothing to ease the awkwardness I felt while looking into Biancaās eyes.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āI just canāt picture him with another guy,ā she blurted out. āLike no offense to you; Micah, but I canāt see Brandon with a guy.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Me (Micah Hill)
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āWhy would I be offended by that?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āYou knowā¦because youāre gay.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āBianca, I understand how youāre feeling. Just because Iām gay doesnāt mean I donāt understand your confusion. Heās your only brother and youāve only seen him date women.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āExactly. You remember how he was in high school, right? He had damn near every girl fighting over him.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āTrue. Well, how are your parents taking it?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āTheyāre still more concerned with Brittany being engaged to an ex-con to really care about Brandon being bi. He told them and they were just like, āokay.ā I guess when you have six wild daughters and one tamed son, it doesnāt matter if that son happens to be bi.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āSix wild daughters? Bianca, youāve never been wild.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āSo, you donāt remember me sneaking out to meet up with boys in high school?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āYeah, but thatās not as bad as getting pregnant at sixteen like your sister Breanna did.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āIt took all of us to keep my mama from beating her ass. Damn, that was a crazy time.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āI honestly donāt think Brandon being bisexual is that surprising.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā When I said that, she gave me a look and smirked before asking, āWhat makes you say that?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āIām just saying, heās a good guy and he likes everybody. Heās a good person to be around.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āYeah, itās like heās from another family.ā She giggled and then asked, āSo, what are your plans for tonight?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āPlans? Girl, Iām staying in and watching the countdown on TV.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āMicah, youāre not coming to Chrissyās party?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āNope. I just donāt feel like it.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āUgh, you so boring!ā She laughed and playfully hit me. āI guess Iāll just party for the both of us tonight then.ā She got a text message from someone and texted them back.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āWho is that?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āBrandon. He said heās bored at the recruitment office. I canāt believe they have him down there doing paperwork while the office is closed. Itās New Yearās Eve.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āThe recruitment office? Exactly how long is he going to be in town?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āMicah, heās back for good. Heās not doing anymore tours in Afghanistan. Heās about to get an apartment downtown.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āWow, I thought he was just visiting for the holidays.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Bianca Tyler
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āNope, heās back home and even though he dropped that bombshell on the family last night, Iām glad heās home.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā As much as I wanted to be honest with her, I couldnāt do it in that moment. How can you tell someone who recently learned her brother is bisexual that you used to be in a secret relationship with him? So, I talked with her for a while and after she left, I got dressed and headed down to the Army recruitment office. I was anxious to see him for the first time in over two years, but I knew once I saw him that Iād be okay. Brandon always had this calming effect on me and I loved being near him.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āHey soldier,ā I said with a smile as I approached his cubicle.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā He turned around in his swivel chair and his face lit up when he saw it was me. He smiled big and asked, āHow did you get in here?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Brandon Tyler
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āI told the white lady up front that I was family.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āDamn, look at you.ā He stood up and wrapped his arms around me. āYou look great, Puppy.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā I laughed when he called me that because that was his little nickname for me. His arm was still around me as I pulled back from the hug and looked into his eyes. I giggled as I told him, āYou look great, too.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āI missed you.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āI missed you, too.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āYeah, sure you did. I know you probably gave some lucky undeserving dude a chance.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āHmm, if I didnāt know any better Iād think you were asking me if Iām single.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āAre you?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āYes Brandon, Iām single.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āI told you before I left that you didnāt have to wait for me.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āNegro, I didnāt say anything about I waited.ā I laughed a little before saying, āI dated and I had a few potential situations, but nothing really worked out. What about you?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āI had a few hookups but nothing serious at all.ā He grabbed my hand and admitted, āTo be honest with you, I was hoping Iād come back here and youād be single so we could restart where we left off.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āSeriously?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āYes. Iām sure my sister told you I came out to the family last night.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āI was just with her at my house and she told me.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āYeah, I finally told them Iām bi. I canāt believe how cool everyone was about it. Then again, I was never as much of a handful as any of my sisters.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āThatās exactly what Bianca said.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā His telephone rang and he stepped over to it and answered it. After the call ended, he came back over to me and asked, āWhat are your plans for tonight?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āI donāt have any. Why?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āBiancaās friend Chrissy is having a party and I was hoping Iād run into you there so we could talk, but youāre here now. Are you gonna be at the party?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āI wasnāt going to go but if youāre gonna be there, I might as well show up.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āCool. I got a ton of paperwork to do so Iāll see you there, Puppy.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā I giggled again and asked, āAre you ever gonna stop calling me that?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āNope. Youāre always gonna be my cute Puppy. I donāt care how old you get. See you tonight.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āSee ya, soldier.ā I flashed him one more smile before turning and leaving. I looked back to see him watching me walk away and I got butterflies in my stomach. I couldnāt wait for that night.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āI thought you werenāt coming here tonight?ā Bianca asked me as she approached me at Chrissyās New Yearās Eve party.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āI changed my mind,ā I told her. āSo, is Brandon here yet?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āYeah, heāsā¦ā She stopped and then gave me a look as she asked, āWhy are you looking for Brandon?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āNo reason. I just wanted to say hey. Itās been a while since I last saw him.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āOh, okay. Thereās a lot of people here, right?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āYeah. I didnāt think Chrissy wouldāve invited this many people. Then again, her parents are in Paris. I wish my parents would take a trip out of the country.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āWho are you telling?ā She laughed and joked, āIf I could have my house to myself, Iād throw a party and invite everyone from campus.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āSpeaking of campus, do you think Brandon will enroll at Calhoun now that heās home for good?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āI donāt know. I havenāt talked to him about it. Come on, letās go get some champagne.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā I followed her into the kitchen and we poured ourselves some champagne. Iād just turned twenty-one in November so it was my first time drinking alcohol. Not a second after I drank from my glass, Brandon entered the kitchen with a bottle of Budweiser in his hand. He looked at me and said, āHey, Micah.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āHey. Bianca told me you were here.ā I gave him a hug and pretended as if I hadnāt seen him earlier that day.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āIāll let you two get caught up,ā Bianca said to us. āMicah, donāt forget Chrissy paid for a cool firework display in her backyard. Iāll be out there when youāre done talking to Brandonās nerdy ass.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āNerdy?ā he asked with a laugh. āIāma get you for that later.ā He watched as she left the kitchen. He then turned his attention on me and asked, āAre you ever gonna tell her about us?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āItāll be better if you told her. She is your sister.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āBut youāre her best friend.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āShe might bite my head off.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āNo, she wonāt. I donāt think sheāll trip. How about we both tell her?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āWell, first we need to make sure weāre both on the same page about the present. Are you sure you want to try this again?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āBaby, I am one hundred percent sure. When you walked into the recruitment office earlier today, my heart stopped. Well, that and my dick got hard.ā He laughed before continuing, āMicah, I love you. Iāve loved you for a while now and I shouldāve told you this a long time ago. I think I fell in love with you the night I took your virginity but I could never find the right time to tell you.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā I tried to fight the tears but they were building in my eyes regardless. I stared back into his eyes as I told him, āI love you, too.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā He put his arms around me and licked his lips before pressing them to mine. I sat my glass of champagne down and he sat down his bottle of beer so we could feel on each other while we kissed. We were so caught up in the moment that we didnāt notice Bianca until she cleared her throat and asked, āWhat is going on in here?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āOh, sis,ā Brandon said as he stepped behind me to hid his erection. āHow long were you standing there?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āLong enough to see you two locking lips. Micah, whatās going on?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āI did not want you to find out this way,ā I began, ābut maybe it needs to happen this way. Bianca, Brandon and I were in a relationship for a little while before he enlisted. We put the relationship on pause and now weāre restarting it. I know I shouldāve told you a long time ago, butā¦ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āDoes he treat you right?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā She looked at her brother and asked, āDoes Micah make you happy?ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā He put his arm around me from behind and replied, āHe does. I love him.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āWell, Iām cool with it. But absolutely no kissing in front of me for a while. Itās weird.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āAre you really okay with this?ā I asked her.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āYouāre my best friend, Micah. If you were some random dude then of course Iād have some problems, but I canāt even get mad at you. You two actually look cute together.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āWow, I stressed out over this today for nothing,ā I said with a laugh.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āItās almost time for the countdown,ā Brandon said. āCome on, letās go outside.ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā The three of us left the kitchen and headed out back where everyone else was. We all did the countdown and when midnight arrived, Brandon and I shared a kiss. That kiss was just as sweet as the first one I shared with him back when I was seventeen. I had no idea what was in store for us in the new year; but I knew we were entering it as a reunited couple, and I was pretty excited about that.
[Disclaimer]: Pictures used do not reflect the sexuality or personality of people in the pictures. They only serve as visual examples of the characters.