It's been a week since Rayland found out about my secret relationship with Alejandro and she somehow convinced me to come out to my family; 'if they don't accept you, that's their loss' she told me. I don't know what possessed me in the beginning to dislike her but now that I spent more time with, the more I see her as a real sister; blood or not. We came to a collective agreement we're not at that point just yet in our relationship but definitely see each other as closer than before.

I was of course nervous to come out but I was more excited to finally get it off my chest; no more secrets. I gathered everyone in the living room to have the discussion.

"What is it because I have a girl waiting for me upstairs and she has the best head-" Jayden started but was cut off by a cough coming from the opposite side of the room.

"Fucking pig." Rayland coughed under her breath, Jayden glared at her.

"Horse." He retorted.

"Donkey."

"Cow."

"Dog."

"Gorilla."

"Bigfoot."

"Ankle biter."

"Mole ra-"

"Enough!" I yell, everyone's heads snapped to me in shock, I've never been one to yell. Jayden and Rayland grudgingly apologize and give me their full attention.

Children, literal children.

"I have an announcement to make to all of you," I sighed. I opened my mouth multiple times but I couldn't come up with the right words. Rayland laughed to herself muttering something about a fish.

How about 'I'm gay' dumbass?

Shut up.

I was just trying to help.

My family was still waiting on me, Rayland was staring at me with concern. She gave me a sweet smile and a thumbs up. The small gesture somewhat calmed my nerves. I took a deep breath in and stared down at my dry hands.

"I'm gay." I blurted out, immediately regretting it when I'm met with dumbfounded faces of my family, excluding Rayland.

I've imagined this moment since I found out that I was gay myself. Since I was young, I realized that I didn't look at girls the same way other boys did. I found them undeniably pretty but I couldn't find myself to imagine a serious relationship with one. I dated a few girls in high school but something didn't feel right; something was missing.

That's when I met Alejandro at the triplets' high school. We were both picking up our brother(s) while they had to stay late for detention two years ago. Obnoxious talking and laughing was all that could be heard in those few minutes we left, once their punishment was over, we exchanged numbers and started secretly meeting up. After a few months of talking, he asked me out and I was elated. He has made me the happiest I have ever been since Mom died and for that, I would give him the world.

"What?" They all exclaim, all the regret immediately fills the inside of my chest. We sat in silence before Dad spoke for the first time.

"You know we love you no matter what you sexually identify, right boys?" Dad spoke up, all of my brothers nodded in response; that immediately put a smile on my face.

"Yeah, it was killing me keeping this secret that you were keeping this secret." Jaylen smiled, as did I until I realized what words came out of his mouth. Jayden and Jaxon simultaneously smacked both sides of his head.

"Huh?" Was all that came out of my mouth. Jaylen sheepishly smiled, rubbing the back of his neck, mumbling 'I'm Coming Out' by Diana Ross. The rest of my family glared at him, face palming at his words.

"Dammit son, you and that big ass mouth." Dad said, laughing and shaking his head back and forth. "We knew." Dad sighed. My face immediately filled with shock.

"How- how long- how did you? What?" I stuttered out, everybody else laughed.

"If you didn't want anyone to find out, you probably shouldn't hang a big ass pride flag hanging in your room." Blake exclaimed, I internally cursed my stupidity. I had hung a flag in my room a couple of years ago before I started dating Alejandro. I assumed nobody would come into my room to see it but apparently privacy doesn't exist in a house with six brothers.

"Also, you should probably put a lock on your phone." Hayden suggested, I looked at him in bewilderment. "I wanted to send myself the picture you took at my birthday party but I found some interesting pictures in your phone." I give him a look and he just shrugs.

"Also, you should probably choose a different lock screen picture." Micheal stretched the 'also' out. I shouldn't be surprised that my oldest brother knew, he seems to know a lot of things he's not supposed to. "You don't know how many times I had to flip your phone over so you wouldn't accidentally out yourself."

"How did the three stooges find out?" I asked the triplets.

"Also, you should probably quiet down on the phone. All I hear is 'I love you' and 'when can I see you again?' and blah, blah, blah in the room next to you. I overheard you say Alejandro's name so yeah." Jaylen shrugged, his triplets nodded.

"You guys don't have a problem with it?" I asked. Weston and the triplets have hated each other for reasons unknown since the start of high school. I didn't think they would be too keen on the fact I'm dating their rival's brother.

"It's none of our business who you date besides, you think we haven't noticed you smiling like an idiot every time you see him. If he makes you happy, go for it." Jaxon smiled.

"Group hug." I yell, stretching my arms out. Everybody groans in response but comes in the hug anyway. Rayland stood from a distance, holding her arms behind her back. I motioned her over but she shook her head no.

"You are a part of this family whether you like it or not so get your butt into this hug." I grumble, she laughs but joins the hug a few seconds later.

"Are you always this annoying, Spongebob?" I groan to Myles, he has been repeatedly banging his pencil on my desk the whole Monday morning. If Monday's weren't already bitchy, this asshole sitting next to me was not helping.

"Are you always this annoyed, Patrick?" He smirks, I slam my head on the table letting out a loud groan. The whole class went silent and I realized my loud groan was a little too loud. I muttered an apology to the teacher while Myles laughed.

"Que te folle un pez." [Get fucked by a fish]. He laughed more, causing me to roll my eyes.

"Did you tell me to get fucked by a fish?" He asked, still laughing. At this point, he was holding his stomach from laughing so hard, causing the teacher to send him outside the classroom.

Over the month, Myles got out of his hatred stage for me and slowly started getting more and more annoying. In classes, lunch, and even at my house, somehow he got my number and has been equally as irritating.

"A- a fish? Really?" I heard a giddy voice from beside me, Alexander was snickering, holding his mouth to prevent any giggles from slipping out. I rolled my eyes and smiled at him. He was a freshman this year despite being a 16 year old due to being held back in second grade.

"First thing that came to mind." I shrugged, causing him to laugh more except this time, obnoxiously, the teacher sent him out of the room. As he walked out of the room clutching his stomach, his laughter was contagious; The whole class joined in.

We sat in silence for the rest of homeroom.

-

All morning, kids have been talking about a new kid tomorrow. This school doesn't get many new kids so people were anxious to see him.

We were currently in the cafeteria waiting for the daily circus that walks through the door ten minutes late to lunch. A few seconds later, they walk in like a slow motion movie, only one that nobody watches. They walk to their center table except one that takes a pitstop to our table.

Christian.

"May we help you?" I politely ask, she sends me a sickly smile and slides a chocolate chip cookie across the table.

"I made you a peace cookie." The forced smile obviously sits on her face, we all raise our eyebrows at her and the cookie. I slid it back over to her. "It means that we will put all of this nonsense behind us and become friends. All you have to do is take a bite of the cookie." She smiles as she pushes the cookie towards me.

"The catch?" I stare suspiciously at the cookie.

"Why would there be a catch, I just want us to be friends." She shrugs, we all give her a look, she sighs and continues. "Just stay away from the Browns' and the new kid and we'll be fine."

"So there is a catch?" I laugh, although she does not find it funny. "Yeah, I would love for it to be sunshine and rainbows but I'm not eating that cookie." I push the cookie away again. Her eyes glare at me but she somehow still has that 'sweet' smile on her face.

"Why, there's nothing wrong with it?" Her top lip slowly stiffens and her button nose squishes upwards, an indication she's lying. Everyone else believes it's a lie as well by the look on their faces.

"Well it would only be fair if we both took a bite." I return her same smile, shrugging. Her slightly tan skin pales instantly. She continuously shakes her head no.

"No, I don't think that's necessary." She pushes the cookie back.

"Why not?" I push the cookie back. She glares at me and slowly opens the plastic wrap covering it. She grimaces at the suspicious cookie and takes a whiff of it. She immediately gags and runs out of the cafeteria resulting in a loud slam from the cafeteria doors.

We all laughed while Xander dramatically pinched the cookie between two fingers and dangled it over to the trash can, pinching his nose.

The bell rang signalling for fourth period, meaning a whole period of algebra with Myles; I groaned at the thought. I stopped at my locker after saying bye to my friends and stuffed all of my math belongings in my arms.

On my way to class, I noticed a curly haired boy standing outside of the main office looking down at a piece of paper. A large button shirt and navy pants loosely hugged his body. His flimsy curls sat on top of his head as he moved. He didn't seem to see me though before he ran into me and I fell on my ass.

"Fuck, are you okay?" I hear a concerned voice above. My head was faced towards the floor where the contents of my math supplies laid on the floor. He held out his hand for me to get up but I waved it off with a joke.

"Yeah, I'm good. You should be asking my math book that." I joked, he laughed but the laugh seemed familiar. Too familiar.

I lifted my head and that's when I noticed...

"Why the fuck do you look like me?"

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1931 Words

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