*1 year and 11 months later*

Damon's POV

"How've you been with college classes?' I ask Char. We haven't been hanging out recently. She's just been able to draw me out of my room a few months ago. We were at the bar, the bar we came to with him a year ago.

"I've been good, ya'know, gettin' those extra credits." She says with a smile. I smile too but it's not fully genuine. I didn't know she was going to bring me here till we actually got here. "Damon," I groan when I hear her tone of voice.

"What?"

"I've got a surprise for you," she says.

"I don't want any more surprises," I tell her. She giggles and grabs my hand.

"Oh come on, you're gonna love it," she says. She tugs me through the crowd and brings me to the backroom for performances.

"What are we doing back here?" I ask.

"Trust me, you're gonna love it," she says.

"Char," she sits me down and says 'okay' before lights flash and dancers come on the stage. I look down not caring for the manly physiques in front of me.

"I'm sorry," I stop moving and keep my head down; thinking that maybe I was hallucinating. "Damon," I hear his voice again. I look up slowly and see him standing on stage, in the outfit I first met him in.

"I'm sorry I pushed you away, Damon." He says. The dancers vacate the area so it's just Tristan and I. "I was mad at myself, because I couldn't be man enough to accept who I am and stand up to my father. You were just trying to help and I thanked you by telling you to fuck off," I let out a short laugh filled with tears because that's the first time I've heard him swear in a long time.

"The truth is, I love you, and I don't care if my dad doesn't accept me for who I am. I accept myself, and I accept you," he walks down the steps and crouches in front of me. He holds my hand. "I'm sorry, it wasn't your fault. I don't blame you." I feel like slapping him or just storming out, but I can't. Instead, I wrap my arms around him in a tight embrace and cry into his shoulder. What the fuck has happened to me that I now freely cry in front of people? Oh, I know, he happened. The best thing that's ever happened to me.

"I love you," he says. I wipe away my tears and look at him.

"I love you too, lightweight." He laughs before cupping my cheeks and kissing me.

--

Tristan's POV

Damon and I walked out of the backroom hand in hand. He waited by the bar as I met up with Charlotte at the ladies room. "Hey," she said hugging me. She was the second person I informed of my arrival. She helped me plan this surprise for Damon.

"Thanks for helping me out," I tell her.

"No problem, you two are like the cutest gay couple ever," I laughed and playfully hit her shoulder.

"I've missed you guys," I tell her. She smiles and grabs my hand.

"We've missed you too."

"After this, do you guys wanna go to my place?"

"What about your dad?" she asked warily. I sighed.

"Don't worry about him. He won't bother you guys," she nodded and texted Jace and the others telling them to meet back at my place in a few minutes. I watch her walk over to Damon and I see him smile. He looks genuinely happy. He's been a constant in my life since moving here. I used to be formal and a real killjoy, but since meeting him he's made me more confident and less grumpy. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me.

Later on we go to my house and everyone spends the night. My mom makes dinner and Theresa is there with her friends and boyfriend. I'm sitting beside Damon, his arm over my shoulder wrapped around me as we watch a movie. I smile thinking over my life. Before moving here, I thought being gay was bad. Now, I've realized it's not bad it's just made to look bad. When people come across something they don't understand they tend to alienate it from their lives. But they should learn to just be okay with it because it's normal. Some people are still closeted because they're not okay with themselves or others aren't okay with them. They should come out when they're ready not when they think others are ready. People make different look like it's bad so you should hate it or fear it, but now I know better and I know that different is okay. I'm gay... And that's okay.