chapter eleven – coming out and backseat kisses

"I have a crush on Mike!" 12 year old Laurel announced.

"Oooh" Kevin, Devin and Marc howled while Charlie glared into the ground.

"Who do you guys have a crush on?" Laurel asked and everyone's eyes went wide.

Kevin and Marc glared at each other while Devin looked at the ground uncomfortably. Charlie was just staring at me looking for help while I panicked because Marc was with us.

"I like girls!" I announce.

"What?" Kevin and Marc's eyes snap to me in shock.

"And boys" I mumble. "I like girls and boys"

"Nice" Devin grinned at me

"Oh my god" I stare wide eyed at the scene in front of me.

"Thea" Devin pulled away from who he was kissing.

I've been at the football game's after party for about an hour and I've done nothing but piss off Marc and Kevin. By ignoring Kevin, who kept trying to talk and dance with me. And shooting Marc a hard glare whenever he tried to come near me. And honestly I was bored. So I thought I would head upstairs to take a nap until I had to drive Laurel, Charlie and Millie home.

"We'll just go" Mike mumbled.

"We?!?" I sputtered out. That's when I noticed Reggie awkwardly smiling at me. "I-I"

A few moments later, Devin and I were standing alone in the bedroom.

"Thea" Devin was staring at me and I saw the panic in his eyes. He didn't want me to tell anyone...

"I'm not going to say anything" I clarify. I would never do that.

"Uh yeah. That's um. Thanks" Devin looked highly uncomfortable.

"So... You're bi too?" I asked.

"I'm gay" That shocked me. Completely shocked me to my core. Devin Preston had a reputation. A reputation that was supported by multiple leaked videos and pictures. We all remember that time Lilah Harris's phone got stolen and videos of them doing it got sent to everyone.

"But I've seen you have sex" I furrowed my eyebrows and then Devin looked confused. "I mean that video"

Realization flashed in his eyes. "It's complicated. I just do it because nobody would suspect anything"

"Devin. That's not good" I frown and he shrugs.

"Yeah, well I have a pretty good relationship with my Dad and I don't want to ruin it" Devin looked sad and my heart hurt for another Preston brother.

"So. You were having a threesome" I say after a few minutes and Devin laughs.

"They... They think I'm as drunk as they are" Devin explains. "I am. But they think that I'm just experimenting because I'm drunk"

"Oh" I nod. "Aren't you worried?"

"No" Devin shakes his head. "Mike's my best friend. Other than Kevin and Marc. And Reggie knows what it's like to be outed before you're ready. So he wouldn't do that to me"

"Do the boys know?" I ask and suddenly Devin's demeanor shifted. He looked upset. Depressed even.

"No. I don't want them to know" Devin sighs. "Kevin's, well he's Kevin. You know" I nod. "And Marc has enough shit going on. Especially with Dad. He might let it slip during a fight and I don't want that"

I walked over and hugged Devin, tightly.

"I know what it's like to be afraid" But I knew my Dad wouldn't disown me... Dr. Preston, however...

"Thanks, Thea"

I came out to Kevin, Devin, Marc, Laurel and Charlie first. And I guess I was okay with people knowing. Probably because I hoped that my parents would find out from someone else and not me. I didn't know how I could handle that conversation.

****

"Tonight, Ima love, love you tonight!" Devin and I screamed as we danced around with a bunch of other kids at the party.

"They're staring" Devin speaks and I catch sight of Kevin and Marc glaring at Devin and I.

"Probably because they think you're competition" I comment and Devin raises his eyebrows at me.

"You know about that?"

"I actually just found out tonight" I snort. "It's stupid. I thought they actually liked me"

"I don't know about Kevin" Devin starts off glancing in their direction. Marc and Kevin were now arguing. "But Marc definitely likes you"

"Why do you say that?" I question. I knew why but I wanted to hear what Devin had to say about it. I mean he is his brother.

"Marc's liked you since pre-k. Way before their rivalry started" Devin shrugged. "Kevin only started liking you after Marc told us"

"Oh" I mumble. I didn't know he had a thing for me, for that long.

"Can we not make things weird, though?" Devin asked and I raised an eyebrow. "I mean I miss when we were all friends. Can we just restart?"

"Sure" I smile at Devin.

"I'm sorry about not sticking up for you" Devin speaks up again. "I just didn't want to add onto her whole 'you slept with us' thing"

"Oh. It's okay, Dev" I smile and he nods.

"Kevin! Marc!" Devin abruptly yells and I stare at him wide-eyed. "What? You said we can all be friends again"

"What's up bro?" Kevin asks as him and Marc made their way to us.

"Let's all dance" Devin shrugs, continuing his movements with me.

And suddenly I felt like I was a kid again. Dancing with my best friends without a care in the world. After a few minutes, Charlie, Laurel and Millie joined us and I felt really happy. Maybe this could be the start of something great.

Ya know. After I beat Marc and Kevin in their own game.

****

"Marc, where are we going?" I roll my eyes. Marc dragged me out of the party 5 minutes ago and now we're walking down the street.

"Shh" Marc slurred and I scoffed. I hate him.

Marc stopped in front of his car and my eyes widened as he tried to get into the drivers seat.

"What the hell, Marc" I grabbed him, pulling him from the seat.

"I'm trying to drive us somewhere" Marc acted like I was the crazy one.

"You're drunk" I state and he gives me a 'duh' face. "You could get hurt if you drive"

"I don't care" Marc rolled his eyes and I recognized the look on his face. It looked like the one he wore when he drove me home the first day we worked on our home ec project.

"Marc" I sighed. "Why don't you care?"

"Because who cares about me?" Marc shrugs. "I'm just the fuck up"

"No you're not" I push his chest lightly. "People care about you"

"Like who?" Marc's eyes met mine as he leaned down to look at me. I frowned and looked away. "Exactly." That's not what I wanted hm to think... "Now I'm trying to be sweet and you wont let me drive us to where I want to take you"

"Marc, I'm not getting into a car with you behind the wheel like that" I sigh and when Marc's eyes met mine again, they looked soft.

"You're right. Can you drive?" Marc smiles at me and I nod. "I'm gonna lay in the back"

I wait for Marc to get in the car and I roll my eyes in annoyance as he doesn't pull his legs in the car.

"Marc" I groan, trying to lift his legs, but his hand finds my arm and drags me right into the backseat with him.

"Oh! Thick Thea! You're so heavy! I cant breathe!" Marc groaned and I glared at him.

"Let go" I hissed as I tried to get off of him.

"No-No" Marc held onto my arm. "I'm sorry. J-Just... stay for a while"

My eyes met Marc's blue ones and they looked like they were pleading with me so I sighed.

"Fine" I awkwardly tried to hold myself up.

"You're not heavy, Tee" Marc pulled me down so I was laying on top of him. "You know I only kid about that, right? You're stunning"

I stared at Marc with wide eyes. This is getting super weird.

"Why do you always wear this dumb jacket?" I pull at the old leather.

"It's Matt's" Marc smiles proudly. "He gave it to me when I started high school"

My heart instantly melted. Marc was always close with Matt. He would always follow his older brother around when he was a kid. He had always said he wanted to be just like him.

"You're cute when you get sentimental" I joke and Marc's eyebrows raised.

"You're beautiful when you act like you hate me"

"Act?" I laugh.

"Do you r-really hate me?" Suddenly Marc looked hurt and I didn't like that at all.

"I don't think so. I mean I think I did when we were kids but now.. I don't know" I mumble. "You're nicer now"

"I'm sorry for rejecting you in 8th grade" Marc sputters out randomly. "I just. Kevin was-. I don't know"

"It's okay" I smile at him. "We were kids. I heard about how you tried to beat him up though"

"Which time?" Marc furrowed his eyebrows and I laughed. "Do you like him?"

"No" I roll my eyes. "I just. I wanted to piss Mikayla off and I don't do well with peer pressure. That's why I wore his number today"

"Do you like me?" Marc looked at me curiously and I got a knot in my stomach. Did I like Marc Preston?

"I don't know"

And then his lips were on mine and I could feel my heart pounding hard against my chest and my stomach was filled with butterflies and I couldn't hear anything.

"Because I love you" Marc whispered against my lips.

"I-"

"Wow- sorry" I froze at the sound of Kevin's voice.

I turned slightly to see Kevin glaring daggers at Marc and when I turned back to Marc I expected to see the same look. But instead I was met with Marc staring at me with a shy smile.

Maybe this wasn't just a game to Marc...