“Then why did we do that?”
She sighed. “I wanted Jason back. I miss him all the time. Chelsea came up with that plan and said it’d make him realize what he was missing, but he hasn’t even looked in my direction.”
“I’m sorry, Madison.”
She gave Elliot a sad smile. “It’s fine. I don’t mean to be a downer. It’s prom.”
He nudged her shoulder with his. “I’m not exactly bursting with joy today either.”
“I noticed. Something going on between you and Damon?”
“What?” he screeched a little too loud. “No, of course not. What makes you say that?”
She kept her eyes glued on the couple on the bridge. Damon was kissing Chelsea’s cheek.
Elliot had to look away.
“I don’t know. He’s just been watching you even more than usual, and it’s almost like you’re avoiding him or something.” She shrugged. “I could be wrong. Maybe I’m projecting my own tragic love story.”
He scoffed. “There’s no tragic love story. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He narrowed his eyes, thinking, and turned toward her. “What do you mean more than usual? What is usual?”
Madison shook her head, laughing. “You two are attached at the hip. Always have been. Damon is extremely protective over you. You really haven’t noticed?”
“No…”
But that was the second time someone had said that to him.
Chelsea yelled Damon’s name and snapped her fingers to get his attention, but his eyes were scanning the horizon until they landed on Elliot. Damon grinned.
Only a moment passed, and then he was putting his arm around Chelsea’s waist and pulling her close again.
“See?” Madison said.
They were best friends. And Damon knew Elliot was all off-kilter from healing Grandmama. He was checking up on him.
That’s all that was.
“Madison,” Elliot said. “Can I tell you something?”
“Sure.”
He straightened his spine, dipped his chin, and looked her in the eye. “I’m gay.”
A soft smile spread across her face. “Thank you for telling me.”
She opened her arms for a hug, and he accepted it, careful not to mess up her hair. They hugged for longer than normal. And it felt good. Really fucking good to have someone to tell. Someone he could tell without being afraid that it would change their relationship.
The hug ended, and she asked, “Is it a secret or are you officially coming out?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t think I want to send out a school-wide email or anything, but I don’t think I’m going to hide it anymore either.”
“Okay,” she said.
They were quiet for a moment, watching as Chelsea and Damon made their way toward them.
“You know, you could just tell Chelsea, then you wouldn’t have to send out a school-wide email,” Madison said.
