" You won't judge me right" Cyrus said looking at Peach ,not sure how to say it .
" Cy you know me ,I wouldn't judge you"
" Well I like men ,I don't think I really feel anything for women that much ,I just see that they pretty but it's not what I would prefer"
" You are more mysterious and fun than your brother, and don't beat yourself up,I will never judge you . You my best friend,I got you ". Peach said smiling genuinely holding Cyrus's hand.
"I feel relieved"
" So does that mean you have a crush on the Scottish guy". Peach whispered winking at Cyrus ..
"Urgh story for another day Peach" Cyrus said looking shy.
Soren's place....
The room was filled with the sounds of laughter and the rapid clicking of controllers. Aven, Soren, Irvin,Max and Jordan were huddled around the TV, engrossed in a heated game of FIFA on the PlayStation. The air was thick with the smell of pizza and the energy of friendly competition.
Aven the most outspoken of the group as always, leaned back and stretched. "Man, this game is intense," he said, grinning at his friends.
Max, who was focused on the screen, nodded. "Yeah, but we're totally winning."
Jordan, always the strategist, added, "We just need to keep our defense tight."
Soren the quietest of the group ( but also the most mischievous one)was sitting next to Irvin, who had been unusually silent all evening. As the game progressed, Aven glanced at Irvin,a thought nagging at him.
.....…..
During a break in the game, Aven turned to Irvin. "Hey, Irvin," he said, trying to sound casual, "we've known each other for years, right?"
Irvin looked up, surprised. "Yeah, since primary school. Why?"
Aven hesitated, then blurted out, "We've never seen you with a girl. Are you... you know, gay?"
The room fell silent. The question hung in the air, and everyone turned to look at Irvin. His face flushed, and he looked down at his hands.
Irvin took a deep breath. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I am."
The confession was like a shockwave. The friends exchanged glances, processing the revelation. Max was the first to speak. "Why didn't you tell us?"
Irvin shrugged, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't know how you'd react. I didn't want things to change."
Jordan put a hand on Irvin's shoulder. "We're your friends, man. Nothing's going to change."
Soren, who had been silent, finally spoke up. "We're here for you, Irvin. Always."
Aven, feeling a mix of guilt and relief, nodded. "Yeah, sorry if I made it awkward. I just wanted to know."
Irvin smiled, a weight lifted off his shoulders. "Thanks, guys. It means a lot."
Meanwhile one of them envied Irvin , he was now tired of hiding in the shadows ,but surely he was different from Irvin. For him the guys weren't going to believe it.
Dean family.... dinner time
Later that evening, Aven sat at the dinner table with his family. His little brother, Cyrus, sitting across from him, picking at his food. Cyrus was only 17 and he had recently came out to the family , Aven wished he could read his brother's mind. Aven watched him, thinking about the conversation with Irvin.
After dinner, Aven found Cyrus in his room, staring at his phone. "Hey, Cyrus," he said, sitting down next to him. "Can we talk?"
Cyrus looked up, surprised. "Sure, what's up?"
Aven took a deep breath. "I had a conversation with a friend today. He came out to us, and it made me think about you."
Aven looked nervous. "What about me?"
Aven smiled. "I just wanted to say that I'm proud of you. It takes a lot of courage to be yourself. And if you ever need to talk about anything, I'm here."
Cyrus relaxed, a small smile forming on his lips. "Thanks, Aven. Actually, there's this guy at school... I kind of have a crush on him."
Aven's eyes lit up. "Really? What's he like?"
Cyrus blushed. "He's smart, funny, and really kind. But I don't know if he likes me back."
Aven put an arm around his brother. "Just be yourself eyy. If he's as great as you say, he'll see how awesome you are. And if he doesn't, it's his loss."
Cyrus hugged his brother, feeling a surge of confidence. "Thanks, Aven. That means a lot."
Aven ruffled Cyrus's hair. "Anytime, little bro. Anytime,
"But wait ... don't I deserve to know who you like"..
"Urgh just go already,you will know when I first see if he's into me,now close the door on your way out"
" Boring "
....
On the other part of the luxurious suburb , someone couldn't sleep thinking about Cyrus.... strange?
To be continued...