"So, that was interesting. Um, I'll see you tomorrow maybe if you wanna go to a party or something, bye." Lilith says just as she finishes getting dressed. She leaves me lying on my bed naked and staring at the ceiling. I can't believe I just did that. I remember the sweet nothings she whispered in my ear, the way she held me and the way she felt. I start to cry. I realize that the only reason I liked it for a little bit is because I imagined I was with Damon. I was hoping I wouldn't think of him or any guy. I cry out to God, asking him why he made me this way. I don't want to be this way. I want my dad to love me; I want to go to heaven. I want to be normal.

I turn over and muffle my cries with my pillow. I hug my covers and sob. "Why?" I cry out. "Why can't I change?"

After a few minutes of sobbing I hear shouting from downstairs. I pull on some pajama pants and a t-shirt before jogging downstairs to see what the commotion's about. "Tristan, what's wrong?' Theresa asks once she sees me.

"Nothing, what's going on?" I ask her. She grabs me and leads me towards the stairs to block my view of the front door.

"Tris, go back upstairs please."

"What's going on—"

"Tristan!" My heart stops momentarily as I hear my name being called out.

"D-Damon? What is Damon doing here?' I ask her with tears beginning to fall out my eyes again.

"You can't keep his from us, we're his friends!" I hear Charlotte next.

"Are all my friends here? What is going on?" I ask as I walk passed Theresa and go outside to see all my friends with their friends and parents arguing with my parents.

"Mom, Dad; what's going on?" I ask loudly.

"Tristan, honey, go back inside!" she says.

"I want you faggots off my property!" I hear dad shout. I stop in my tracks and glare at him.

"What did you just say?' I ask him. He looks at me and tells me to go inside.

"This isn't your fight, son," he says. I walk passed mom and stand in front of my father, staring him down.

"It is my fight. These are my friends and you just insulted them."

"These people chose to disobey God's wishes and now they're going to hell! Don't let them poison your mind again, son."

"They never poisoned my mind, dad!" I shout. Everyone is quiet, watching me in suspense. "They just made me realize who I am. I never chose anything, this is just who I am, and I can't change that." He glares at me.

"You are garbage!" he says. I don't know who shouted my name before I saw a fist flying at my face. Damon, Jace and Jay ran towards my dad and tackled him to the ground. Damon was swinging blows while my mom shouted asking them to stop. Theresa was crying in the corner. Damon's dad finally pulled him off my dad.

Your religion clouds your judgment!" Charlotte's mom yells at my dad.

"How would you know?" he shouts back at her. "It seems like none of you are followers of God!"

"That's where you're wrong," Charlotte's dad says. "Most of us are Christians and Catholics."

"Except us," Damon's mother speaks up. "We were Christian's, but we're now Atheists,"

Dad's eyes fill with anger. "You ignorant fools!"

"No, we're not ignorant! God gave us free will to make our own choices, good or bad. And we chose to become Atheists."

"Why?" he shouts.

"Because I didn't want to be a part of a religion that said my son would go to hell for being who he is!" Damon's mother bursts into tears as her husband held her in his arms, comforting her.

"So, you're saying th-that because God said your son is going to hell, it drove you away?" my mother asks, confused but trying to understand.

"No, the fact that our church told us our son would burn in hell drove us away," his father says. "We know God is forgiving and loves all his children the same, but some of his children aren't as understanding as he is."

My mom slowly walks towards my dad and places a hand on his shoulder, "Steven, listen to these people," he flinches away from her and glares.

"Elizabeth don't tell me you're buying this crap!"

"I'm not saying we have to turn away from God, I'm just saying you should accept our son for who he is." Dad looks at me then at the crowd of friends behind me.

"No," he says. Mom looks down. "We're sending Tristan to a purity camp; he'll be cured by the best pastures in Michigan."

"Michigan?" I say with wide eyes.

"Steven, you're not really going to send our son back home alone are you?" mom asks.

"Of course I am! I will not let a faggot live in my house! Now all of you leave!" he shouts at my friends.

"We're not going anywhere!" Damon says speaking up. I groan and turn to him.

"Just leave!" I shout. He looks at me with hurt in his eyes. "You guys have done enough, go!" Charlotte grabs Damon as he begins to cry and everyone begins to leave. Mom tries to calm my dad but he ignores her and goes inside. I grab Theresa's hand and ask her to help me pack. Mom stands outside.

--

"Well, I guess this is it, huh?" Theresa asks as we say our goodbyes at the airport. Father is in the back, here just to make sure I board my flight. Mother and Theresa are crying as they give me hugs. "Just know that by the time this is over, you'll be 18 and you can decide what you wanna do with your life, okay?" she says. I nod trying to fight tears as I hug her again.

"I will always love you, son. No matter what anyone says, I will never stop loving you," mom says as she hugs me. My flight is being called to board so I grab my luggage and walk towards my flight. I look back one more time, seeing them wave to me. I smile sadly and board my flight after showing my passport.

Yesterday I texted Charlotte asking if I could meet with her alone. We met at her house. I asked her about Damon. She told me he hasn't left his room since the fight. She asked me how long I'd be at the camp and I told her a year. She asked me if I was going to say goodbye to Damon. I told her I couldn't. I couldn't face him after what I did to him.

"Will you ever come back?' she asked me. I smiled and grabbed her hand.

"If you ever have any questions," I grabbed a pen from my pocket and wrote my number on her arm, "Call me." She smiled and hugged me before we said our farewells. I looked out the window and placed my hand on it, staring down at the airport. I closed my eyes and whispered Damon's name before reopening them. My flight is now taking off and I watch below me as everyone I've ever come to know becomes smaller and smaller. I know that no matter what happens, I can't change even if I tried.

--

a/n: two or three chapters left before the ending.. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! i love you all so so much please comment your thoughts about the book and vote and share if you think someone will enjoy or it will help!!! xoxox