Chapter 1
Eight years ago
Bennett
“Hey, Bennett, you coming to hang out at the park tonight?” Easton asks, hiking his backpack up as he stops next to my locker.
Smiling, I turn to him, closing my locker door. “Yup. Just need to drop my stuff off at home and eat. I can be there around seven.”
“Cool.” He nods. “Gives me enough time to get my schoolwork done.”
“You can come over, and we can do it together, you know,” I chuckle.
He shifts on his feet uncomfortably. “Dad’s getting pissy that I’ve been hanging out at your place so much. I think it’s best if I just go home for a bit.”
“Oh, okay.” I nod. “Yeah, cool. I’ll see you tonight, then?”
“Yeah. See you later.”
I watch as Easton takes off down the hall toward the exit, my heart rate still elevated like it always is when he’s around.
Sighing heavily, I lean my head against the locker and close my eyes.
I thought this crush would go away by now, but it’s been three years. Three years and it’s only gotten worse.
I was ten when I realized I liked boys. Not just any boys, though. I liked Easton, my best friend.
At first, I thought it was just one of those silly crushes you get—or as my parents call it, puppy love.
I’ve grown up around a very gay positive family. My parents are in a poly relationship. My dads, Brody and Jax, are bisexual and are in a relationship with each other, as well as my mom.
So when I got my first crush, I didn’t see anything wrong with it being on a guy.
I didn’t think much of it. Maybe I just really enjoyed hanging out with him and being around him. He’s a good guy, the best guy I know. Of course, I’d have strong feelings for my best friend.
Now I’m a teenager, thirteen going on fourteen, and those feelings haven’t gone away. If anything, they’ve grown from a crush to me being in love with him.
Well, maybe not in love.I’m still young, so do I even know what love is?
All I do know, though, is when I’m around him, I get these happy, excited feelings inside me. Like, I can’t wait until the next time I get to see him, even if it’s just sitting beside him while sharing the same class.
I haven’t told him about my feelings, and I don’t plan on it. I have no idea if he feels the same way I do, and considering the way he talks about the girls in our class, I don’t think he likes boys.
“You okay, Benny?” Aria, my other best friend, asks.
Blinking my eyes open, I look down at her red hair and freckled face. “I’m fine. Just tired.”
“You got hockey tonight?” she asks as I push off the locker.
“Nope.” I walk beside her as we head toward the front door.
“Wanna hang out?” she asks.
“Uhhh, I can’t,” I say with a hint of guilt.
She sighs heavily. “Let me guess, you’re hanging out with Easton?” She raises a brow. She doesn’t give me a chance to answer. “Of course you are. You’re always with Easton. What about me?” She waves her hands in front of her face. “I’m your best friend, too.”
“I know you are.” I throw my arm around her with a chuckle. “I’m sorry. I’ve been a shitty friend.”
