“I didn’t say anything.”
“Your face did it for you.”
He lets out a huff of laughter and looks back at Luc, who is chatting amiably with Will and Ari despite not saying much, and is clearly keeping me in sight.
“I don’t think I realized how serious it was,” Naz finally says. “Not just how deep in the closet he is, but how deep the feelings are.”
“He’s not in the closet,” I say defensively.
“He’s not out of the closet, either.”
“His teammates know he’s gay. He told them. It’s just not something he feels comfortable broadcasting to the world, and I think that’s fair.”
“I don’t disagree with you, Jess. What I’m worried about is how closely we’re being watched right now, how much effort is being put in to discredit and expose us for any perceived drama.”
Our fundraiser-protest concert did well.Reallywell. Maybe too well. Ever since our live-streamed protest, we’ve been trolled by conservative news outlets and even called “lame” and outright threatened by the president of the free world on his social media accounts. He’s promised to shut us down–that by the year’s end, there won’t be a venue or record label willing to work with us. And wouldn’t you know it, two of our concerts at the end of the year were cancelled because the parent companies that own the venues bowed to the pressure of conservative media outlets and threats of violence at our shows.
Not that we’re backing down in any way, shape, or form. In fact, we’ve doubled down on our media presence, sharing photosof us shaking hands with the CEOs of the organizations we donated to, as well as making appearances at LGBTQ+ centers, shelters, and food and blanket drives in the week since the charity concert. These are things we’ve always been involved with, but we’re being a lot more public about it, to show the contrast between the hatred and threats being thrown by the religious “right”, and the good we can do to counterbalance it. We aren’t even reacting or responding. We’re simply leading by example, and other celebrities and companies are starting to do the same.
After all, what better show of protest is there than love?
Naz is right though, we’re under a lot more scrutiny than usual, which could put Luc’s privacy at risk. We need to be extra vigilant.
“I’m just worried about what would happen if he got outed because of his connection with you. There are already rumors.”
“There are always rumors.”
“Would your relationship survive if it were to get out?”
The truth is…
I don’t know.
TWENTY-ONE
JESSE
I am on fire,
Burning from the inside out.
On the tip of my tongue I taste your desire,
Your big, strong arms holding me down.
This overwhelming desire,
A fever scorching through my veins.
Your sex sets me on fire,
It’s burning me up, I’m lost in the flames.
I am on fire,
Burning from the inside out.
Your sex gets me drunk on desire,
