Love Triangle

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Cook and I had ignored each other like the plague. It was post New Year's Eve all over again. There was a constant pull in my heart. In wake of Kent and Katy, Cook was the only constant. The only good and stable thing in my life.

Until now.

I couldn't see Mark of fear I'd blurt out what I saw. Besides he sure had so much on his plate already and I wasn't going to burden him with my love life when his was more complex.

I turned to Amanda and Penelope for advice.

I had been to Penelope's house a few times since second semester started. Her parents were friendly and even Jane was friendly to me. Thanking me for asking her to give Ashton a chance. I told her I was glad they hit it off. Even Penelope and Jane seemed on good sisterly terms these days. During my first visit I noticed all the LGBTQ+ flags, quotes, and posters in her room.

"You knew right?" Penelope asked me.

"I wasn't sure. It didn't occur to me."

"I don't go around hitting on girls at our school or talking about my sexuality with everyone but I'm gay as fuck. I've always been. That's why it was hard for a while between Jane and I but she has come around and so did my family."

I was so happy and wished everyone from the group got the same support and acceptance from family and friends. Especially for Mark. I hugged Penelope and I thanked her for trusting me and feeling comfortable enough to invite me in her house, her room, and her life.

***

I was meeting Amanda and Penelope at the nearest pizza parlor. It was April so the temperature was finally milder. Coats were lighter and walking was possible and encouraged again.

We ordered a large vegetarian pizza.

They knew about my break up with Kent and a small version of the mishap between him and Katy. He hadn't cheated but it still prompt me to realize we're not meant romantically together.

We're friends again. When he asked me last week if we'd ever have a chance together again in the future. I told him I don't think we would and that we've always been better off as friends. Not enemies, not strangers, nor lovers. There's enough love in a friendship to have to be together that way. He said that I was right and he finally came clean about his drinking and his parents problems. Turns out, receiving a call from the school pushed his mother to finally leave his father. His father was going to get help in therapy so was his mother and as for Kent he has a councilor and a sponsor in his recovery from alcoholism. Sobriety is the way he's going. His soccer and academic career had been severed enough. I was proud of him and I'd support him until the very end. Kent was probably the closest thing I'd get to a sibling or a best friend. And we had accepted that. We still were in rocky territory as we never spoke about Katy or Cook. They were strictly off limits.