Graham: Dude, really?

Graham: What did I do? I thought we were going somewhere.

Graham: I mean, I’ve been falling for you and I thought you were too.

Graham: Let’s discuss this. I don’t want to break up.

Graham: I love you, Matty.

My eyes widen and my heart jumps into my throat.

Holy fuck.

It lights up again with another text and my eyes get even bigger.

Graham: We can tell them together. My parents understand, they love you like I do. Let’s tell your parents. Don’t end this. This is good. We are happy.

“Oh my Go—” Before I can even finish my sentence, I’m being pushed into the fridge and Matty’s hand is at my throat. My hands come to his wrists, crying out. “Let me go,” I struggle to say.

“What the hell are you doing?”

I slap at his arms but he doesn’t budge, and panic settles in my chest because I can’t breathe. He doesn’t look like he is going to let me go either. His eyes are wild, bloodshot, and his breathing is erratic, almost like he’s been crying. That can’t be right. Matty has no feelings. But one thing is for sure, I have to get out of his grip. I bring my knee up and he folds over, holding his groin as I get away, going around the island and out of his reach.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” I yell at him, and he leans on the island, glaring at me.

“What did you see? Fucking tell me, you bitch!”

“Oh, nothing much,” I say, my eyes locked in his intense and angry gaze. “Only that you’re gay,” I throw back at him and his eyes bug out.

“Shut your whore mouth!”

“Oh, why? You scared someone will hear me? I can’t believe that, instead of telling our parents, you’d rather break up with your boyfriend.”

“Shut your fucking mouth. You know nothing.”

“I know that Graham is in love with you. And if you touch me,” I say when he moves toward me, “I’ll tell Mom and Dad. I’ll tell the world.”

“They won’t believe you.”

“I don’t care. I’ll still tell ’em.”

“You think I care?”

“I know you do.” I see the panic in his eyes. Holy shit, my brother is gay. I mean, it doesn’t change anything. He’s still a douche, but this is huge. It makes no sense. I never saw this coming. Never. “Wow. I’m a little flabbergasted.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“So, you aren’t gay?” I ask, the cold, blank stare he is setting me with giving me chills. He looks so angry, so upset, and somewhere deep inside me, I feel for him. But then I remember what he has done to me, and my sympathy is nowhere in sight.

Especially when he yells, “Fuck you, Avery! Go slit your wrists.”

“That’s all you have on me,” I murmur, shaking my head, my last ounce of sympathy flying out the window. “But at least I’ve never been anyone but myself. I may have been a little messed up, but I’ve always been me. You, though, you’re hiding, tormented by the man you really are. So really, who’s suffering? Because I’m not. I’m happy. You…You’re just sad.”

“I’m not hiding shit.”

“Oh? Really, call Graham over. I’d love to meet him.”

His eyes are wild, his jaw clenching, and I really don’t know this person. Where is the twin who used to play dolls with me when we were little? Oh. Wow, maybe there were signs?

“Just fucking go. Get out of my life.”

“I’m leaving, after I eat my lunch and watch you squirm with nervousness that I could out you.” I hate that it has come to this. I’m not a mean person, but he’s done this. He’s caused me to be as nasty to him as he has been to me.

“You wouldn’t dare. I’d kill you.”

See? “I’m not scared of you, Matty. How could I be? You’re a fraud. I may be considered crazy and suicidal, but at least I’m me.”

“Which is nothing.”

“To you, I’m nothing. But I’m something to someone special.”

“Ha, that Sinclair bastard? Please, he’s using you.”

“Aw, are you jealous my boyfriend is hotter than yours?” I ask.

He takes a step toward me, venom in his voice. “Shut your fucking mouth!”

“Get away from me.”

“I’m allowing you to breathe, Avery. Remember that,” he seethes and I scoff.

“Please. You won’t touch me,” I say, holding up my phone to show that I’ve been recording this whole conversation. “One click, it’s on Facebook.” His eyes move to my phone as I hit the button and my voice fills the room, asking if he is gay. “Now stay the fuck away from me.”

Shaking his head, he glares. “Fine, as long as you stay away from me.”

He holds my gaze and I actually feel the loss of him. We’ve drawn the line in the sand. We will never have a relationship after this, not that I expected we could anyway.

But it still hurts as he points at me. “Don’t you dare say anything.”

“I don’t owe you anything,” I say simply. The panic is flashing in his eyes. He snatches his phone and storms out of the kitchen. When I hear the front door slam, I fall back into a chair and shake my head.

Jesus.

My brother is gay?

Wow.

That’s insane.

Sucking in a deep breath, still unable to process all this, I get my food out of the microwave before sitting where I can see both doors in case he comes back. I know it’s sad that I’m scared, but he had nothing but hatred in the depths of his turquoise eyes. As I dig into my food, I swear that was a mindfuck. Who would have thought that? And why is he hiding it? We are adults and it’s not like we have parents of the year anyway. I wonder how long he’s known, I wonder if he’s been in lov—

Wait.

Letting my head fall to the side, I pull my phone out, going to Facebook and typing in a name. When his profile comes up, I’m surprised I’m able to look at his profile picture without crying. To be honest, I don’t feel anything as Caleb’s grinning face looks back at me. When I see that he is on Messenger, my heart throbs in my throat as I hit his name and then start typing.

Avery Rose: Caleb, it’s Avery Haverbrooke. I know it’s been a really long time, but I need to ask you something.