by Nyrae Dawn
“They’re proud of him,” Alec adds. I wrap my arm around him.
“How long will you guys stay in town?” Theo’s from here so he’s not heading to New York right away.
“Only like a week or so,” Alec answers. “We’re spending the summer in New York. Brand’s dad’s helping us get the football camp off the ground. There’s a lot we have to do before next summer.”
“What’s it gonna be? Like a two-week program or something?”
“Yeah, either that or a month. Just a day camp though.” I don’t remember what made the idea come to me but as soon as I’d shared it with Alec he’d been down. We’ve been talking to my dad about it a lot and he’s helping us organize it, since we want to move to New York once Alec graduates.
“That’s cool that you guys are doing that.”
It was my tutor who turned me onto football. Yeah, the game was never exactly what other people thought it was to me but it gave me confidence too. It made me feel like someone when I was a kid. Now we’re hoping we can do the same thing for teens. Let them know that you can be gay and play sports too. Or a really, a place where any teen can come to learn to play. Where they’re all accepted.
“Thanks.”
We talk to them for a while before they disappear to dance again. Charlie comes over and drags Alec to dance too. I talk with Mom and Dad for a while. Nate and I chase Joshua around and stuff like that before Alec makes his way back to me.
He hands me his cell. There’s a text from his mom that says, “Tell Brandon congrats.”
His dad never came around but things are okay with his mom. You can tell she’s still a little uncomfortable with us being together. Still, she calls him now. We’re considering going to see her this summer. And no matter what, he has my family too. They love him like a son, and he’ll always have me.
I’m not going to pretend it’s not a little awkward talking to her. But she’s trying and that counts for something.
“That was cool.” I push the cell in Alec’s front pocket
He smiles. I know it means a lot to him to at least have his mom in his life.
“I’ve never danced with you.” Alec pulls me to him by a loop of my jeans.
“You just want an excuse to be close to me.”
“So?”
“Never said I was complaining.”
We hold each other close and move to the music. My hand rubs up and down his back, savoring the feel of his body. “We did it, Al. We really fucking did it.” I can’t imagine my life without him. Loving Alec helped me decide who I want to be. That’s all I ever had to do, was decide who that was. It’s always been my choice.
“I know. It’s still crazy to think about but we’re here.”
Together, the way we’re supposed to be.
“I love you.”
“I love you too, Brand.”
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