(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[|cat>[You ran over a cat] on the way to the vet today, and it was probably one of the most ironic things you have ever had to live through. Needless to say, sixteen years of life is hardly enough exposure for your claim to mean anything. There will be many more incidents of waterparks burning down and people liking Suicide Squad for you to roll your eyes at. ](stop:)]
(click: ?cat)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You ask your parents to go back for the cat. |fish>[Fish](click: ?fish)[(t8n:"dissolve")[, your ragdoll cat,](stop:)] is looking at you and he doesn’t seem pleased. You’re not sure if it’s because of the sock stuck in his intestine or because he understands the |crime>[crime] you just committed.](stop:)]
(click: ?crime)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Your mom shrugs it off and tells you that it’s just a stray - she says it’s probably |dead>[dead] anyway. You’ll just end up wasting time and gasoline for nothing. You catch your dad glance at the cat’s body in the rearview mirror. He looks kind of sad, but you really can’t tell. He looks sad all the time. People say you look like him. You're not sure if that's a compliment or not.](stop:)]
(click: ?dead)[(t8n:"dissolve")[ You look to the cat and back to your parents. You can't tell if you should [[beg->day one beg]] or just [[shut up.->day one shut up]] ](stop:)](live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You beg. You beg as if your life depended on it. You’ve loved animals all your life and you were nowhere near ready to be the reason for one to die. You feel like a murderer. You have no idea how your mother could just not care. You’ve watched enough crime drama to know that that was a sure sign of being a sociopath. You feel bad for thinking it, but it seems true. |ignore>[Your parents ignore your pleas.] ](stop:)]
(click: ?ignore)[(t8n:"dissolve")[When you reach the stoplight at the end of the road, you can't hold back the |cry>[waterworks]. The tears run down your cheeks. Your face feels hot and your heart is hammering in your chest. You can't seem to control your emotions and it feels as if you might die. Your father looks back. He's always had a soft spot for you even with the way he had |grown>[grown up.](stop:)] ]
(click: ?grown)[(t8n:"dissolve")[(His childhood in Korea had not been a pleasant one, and it’s not something he talks about often).](stop:)]
(click: ?cry)[(t8n:"dissolve")[With a sigh, your father turns the car around and your tears immediately stop. Your mother rolls her eyes. She tells you that you’re lucky she’s not the one at the wheel and says to |run>[make it quick.] You feel ashamed for crying and panicking over such a small thing, but you're thankful nonetheless that they turned around.](stop:)]
(click: ?run)[(t8n:"dissolve")[The cat is still alive, and you find yourself looking at another irony. The cat is a //bengal//. You feel like screaming. You just ran over a $1000 dollar cat. It was probably worth more than you, and you almost left it to die. ]
(t8n:"dissolve")[You scoop the bengal into your jacket and make your way to [[the vet.->day one beg vet]]](stop:)](live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You shut up. Normally when your mother puts her foot down, it’s down for good. You feel like a murderer. You’ve loved animals all your life and you were nowhere near ready to be the reason for one to die. You have no idea how your mother could just not care. You’ve watched enough crime drama to know that that was a sure sign of being a |socio>[sociopath.] You feel bad for just thinking it.](stop:)]
(click: ?socio)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You could only hope that the cat died quickly. You aren’t particularly religious, but you hope God forgives you for your sins. You were sure you were going to be sent to hell for that one time you jay-walked. Imagine what they'd do to you now. You can't tell if it would have been better to ask the to turn around again. You didn't want to upset your parents. A tear escapes your eye and you quickly swipe it away. You feel the need to go to confession, but that will come later. Fpr now, [[Fish->day one shut up vet]] remains your top priority.](stop:)]
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[When you arrive at the vet, you leave Fish to your parents and run in with the bengal clutched close to your chest. You rush into the emergency room and they quickly take the animal from you. Suddenly, you find yourself being whisked away into |wait>[the waiting room]. You let your parents know where you are, and to come get you once they’re done with Fish’s appointment. You're nervous for both felines.](stop:)]
(click: ?wait)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You suddenly notice a girl enter the room and you realize that you recognize her from school. It’s |naomi>[Naomi Mosley]. (click: ?naomi)[(t8n:"dissolve")[She sits next to you in AP Calculus. She has dark curly hair and equally dark skin. You’ve never really spoken to her though, and you wonder |why>[why she’s here.]](stop:)]]]
(click: ?why)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Naomi sees you sitting down and she approaches you to say hello. Your throat constricts, but you manage. She asks what you’re doing at the clinic. You explain your situation as briefly as you can and she laughs. You never noticed it until now, but her smile is really nice. She tells you that the bengal is surprisingly in better condition than they expected with no fatal injuries and that it should make a |full>[full recovery] soon.](stop:)]
(click: ?full)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You discover that her family runs the veterinary clinic, so she’s always around and helping out. They don't have staff to help keep track of all the animals, so she does her best assist her parents in whatever way she can. She promises to keep you updated on the cat's recovery and gives you her number. You thank her profusely, and |leave>[she leaves.]](stop:)]
(click: ?leave)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Eventually your parents return. Fish had successfully regurgitated your missing sock and he looked like his normal self. You take him into your arms and notice your parents carrying an extra file. They explain that since they brought the cat to the vet, they might as well take care of it once it’s recovered. They just need |name>[a name.]](stop:)]
(click: ?name)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You name the cat Meat. You think about getting a third cat and naming it Vegetable. Your can't wait to tell your friends about [[this.->day two]](stop:)]]
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[When you arrive at the vet, you leave Fish to your parents and decide to wallow in |wait>[the waiting room]. You let your parents know where you are, and to come get you once they’re done with Fish’s appointment.](stop:)]
(click: ?wait)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You suddenly notice a girl enter the room and you realize that you recognize her from school. It’s |naomi>[Naomi Mosley]. (click: ?naomi)[(t8n:"dissolve")[She sits next to you in AP Calculus. She has dark curly hair and equally dark skin. You’ve never really spoken to her though, and you wonder |why>[why she’s here.]](stop:)]]]
(click: ?why)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Naomi sees you sitting down and she approaches you to say hello. She asks what you’re doing at the clinic. You explain Fish’s |pred>[predicament], and she laughs. (You know better than to bring up running over a cat). You never noticed it until now, but her smile is really nice.](stop:)]
(click: ?pred)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Your parents enter the room as a frantic old man arrives and interrupts your conversation with Naomi. The two seem to know each other. He explains finding the cat in the middle of the road - barely breathing. |sus>[He suspects it was hit by a car.]](stop:)]
(click: ?sus)[(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[.](stop:)](live: 3s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[.](stop:)](live: 4s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[.](stop:)]
(live: 5s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[|click>[Frick Frack Diddly Wack.]](stop:)]]
(click: ?click)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You and your parents share a silent conversation, and you can tell they definitely feel guilty now. You quickly shuffle over to them as Naomi and the old man rush into the emergency room. You whisper to them that they should’ve turned around and that this is their second chance to |right>[make things right.]](stop:)]
(click: ?right)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Naomi suddenly materializes next to you with Fish in her arms. For the second time today, you shut up as she hands you the cat. She mentions that she thinks it’s sad that the stray might have no home to return to. The man, Mr. Luigi, had admitted that he was too allergic |take>[take care of the cat.] He just couldn't bear to see it die.](stop:)]
(click: ?take)[(t8n:"dissolve")[|do>[“WE’LL DO IT.”]](stop:)]
(click: ?do)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Your sentence is rushed and almost incomprehensible, but you know Naomi understood. Her face lights up, and she smiles again. |thank>[She thanks you profusely], and runs in to get the papers. You are unsurprised that your parents don’t object.](stop:)]
(click: ?thank)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Naomi explains that her family runs the veterinary clinic, so she’s always around and helping out. They don't have staff to help keep track of all the animals, so she does her best assist her parents in whatever way she can. She promises to keep you updated on the cat's recovery and gives you her number. |HECK>[You thank her.]](stop:)]
(click: ?HECK)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You receive the papers to discover another irony. You had run over a bengal cat worth at least $1000 dollars. Much more expensive than you. Against your parents protests you name the cat Meat. You think about getting a third cat and naming it Vegetable. You can’t wait to tell your friends about [[this.->day two]]](stop:)]
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[|one>[“KIM SONG!”]](stop:)]
(click: ?one)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Your friend is yelling at you from the end of the hallway and she’s attracting all sorts of attention. You rush over and clap your hand over her mouth. Ever since you were kids, |onehalf>[Abby] had always been this loud. (click: ?onehalf)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You remember the time that your phone lines had cut out, so in order to talk to you, she yelled from a street over. |two>[Her voice had been astoundingly clear.]](stop:)](stop:)]]
(click: ?two)[(t8n:"dissolve")[She got in so much trouble. The Moratos were Filipino, and they had moved to the states to find Abby a better future when she was only five years old. It took a while for her to adjust to the language and a lot of kids made fun of her for her accent but Abby powered through. Now she’s the co-captain of the softball team - at only |three>[5 feet tall.](stop:)]]
(click: ?three)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You tell Abby to shut up, and you feel her laugh vibrate through your hand. You pull away and rub the spit off onto your shirt.(stop:)]
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[|four>[“Where’s Jason?”], you ask.](stop:)]]
(click: ?four)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Jason Foreman looked like your typical white boy, and he acted like one too. He was the kind of person who owned a collection of fidget spinners and still thought dabbing was funny. He liked All Star… |fourhalf>[Unironically.] (click: ?fourhalf)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You remember agreeing to watch Shrek with him when you were younger only to see him cry and hug the television screen whenever anything remotely upsetting happened. |five>[It was nothing but embarassing.]](stop:)](stop:)]]
(click: ?five)[(t8n:"dissolve")[However, beneath his layers of cringe and acne, you knew that he was just an outgoing boy who liked to bake cupcakes. Jason had inherited his sweet tooth from his parents who ran the local bakery. You've always been surprised that he's never had a cavity with all the sugar that he eats - |six>[a miracle.]](stop:)]
(click: ?six)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Jason’s dick is at least 4 inches. Or so he says. |seven>[He seems rather proud of it.] The entire school knows.](stop:)]
(click: ?seven)[(t8n:"dissolve")[“Right here.” he says before taking a huge bow, |eight>[“At your service, m’lady.”]](stop:)]
(click: ?eight)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Your eyes twitch at his response. If he was wearing a fedora, you would have deleted him from your life before he got to finish the last word. |nine>[Abby snorts in laughter] and tells Jason he’s an idiot, saying that calling any girl “m’lady” was without a doubt, a surefire way to rejection with no second chances. Jason frowns at this statement, and says it was just a joke. He may be cringey, but he’d never stoop to such a level.](stop:)]
(click: ?nine)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Abby’s face suddenly lights up in excitement. She asks if we’ve heard of the new theater that opened last week or so. Jason and I shake our heads. Abby begins to explain that it’s a theater that solely shows independent films and the movie they were going to play this upcoming weekend is really nice. It won a few awards at a film festival, apparently. She thinks it’d be a great place for you guys to |ten>[hang out.]](stop:)]
(click: ?ten)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You all agree to watch the movie on the first day of it’s showing, right after grabbing food at [[your favorite go-to taco place.->day two p2]]](stop:)]
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You meet up with your friends at the taco place and grab yourselves some take-out before heading to the theater, which is conveniently two blocks down the street. Abby seems the most excited out of the three of you, and keeps going on about how hot the actor of the |half>[main character] is. She’s speaking so fast she’s switching between english and her native tongue without even realizing it. You and Jason are used to this type of behaviour from Abby, so you both just nod and agree to |one>[whatever she says.]](stop:)]
(click: ?half)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You can’t grasp much of what she’s saying except for the name Rollo, which she seems to be repeating over and over again.](stop:)]
(click: ?one)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Abby has a habit of clutching your hand as you cross streets. She says that it’s for your safety - crossing the streets of the Philippines as a child has made her an expert, or so she says. You know deep down she’s probably terrified of crossing the street. The way her hand begins to sweat and the way her grip tightens tells you everything. Either way, you don’t mind. You’re flattered she feels safer around you.|two>[ Your heart warms at the idea.]](stop:)]
(click: ?two)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Your phone rings a few seconds after you enter the small movie house. You wave your friends to go on without you. They look at you nervously. They know you’ve never handled phone calls well. You urge them on, and steady yourself on the wall. It’s Naomi. You’re not sure if you want to answer this. You’d be content just pretending you never heard it in the first place. You slide it back into your pocket and notice the concierge raising an eyebrow. You panic and |3>[pick up.]](stop:)]
(click: ?3)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Naomi greets you warmly and tells you she needs a favor. You bite your taco and nod - like an idiot. You realize she can’t hear you, quickly swallow the food in your mouth. You find your voice ask what she needs in what you think is the most casual and collected way possible.](stop:)
|choices>[[“Yank train my dude, what’s cooking?”]<opt1|
[“Hey baby girl, what’cha need?”]<opt2|
[“Sure thing chicken wing, your boy is down to clown with whatever.”]<opt3|]
(click: ?opt1)[(set: $varb to 1)(replace: ?choices)["Yank train my dude, what's cooking?"](live: 1s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You’re more embarrassing than Jason. This was not your finest moment - you sound like a complete idiot. She laughs, and you’re glad she can’t see you blush. Thankfully, she took it like she would a joke. Heaven forbid she finds out you said those 100% unironically. You try to force the idea of her now believing you’re a total loser out of your head. |4>[It’s not particularly effective.]](stop:)]](click: ?opt2)[(set: $varb to 2)(replace: ?choices)[“Hey baby girl, what’cha need?”](live: 1s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You’re more embarrassing than Jason. This was not your finest moment - you sound like a complete idiot. She laughs, and you’re glad she can’t see you blush. Thankfully, she took it like she would a joke. Heaven forbid she finds out you said those 100% unironically. You try to force the idea of her now believing you’re a total loser out of your head. |4>[It’s not particularly effective.]](stop:)]](click: ?opt3)[(replace: ?choices)[“Sure thing chicken wing, your boy is down to clown with whatever.”](live: 1s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You’re more embarrassing than Jason. This was not your finest moment - you sound like a complete idiot. She laughs, and you’re glad she can’t see you blush. Thankfully, she took it like she would a joke. Heaven forbid she finds out you said those 100% unironically. You try to force the idea of her now believing you’re a total loser out of your head. |4>[It’s not particularly effective.]](stop:)]]]
(click: ?4)[(t8n:"dissolve")[She then asks if you can come to |5>[pick up Meat] from the clinic. They’re running out of space, and since you’ve adopted the bengal, you’d be able to just bring him home. She’d just need to give you all the medication he needs and discuss how you should take care of him.](stop:)]
(click: ?5)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You remain silent, mulling over your ill-fate and sheer misfortune. You’re at a crossroads. Should you [[ditch->day two naomi]] your friends to pick up your cat and spend a little time with Naomi? Or should you [[stay->day two friends]] and just let your parents handle the situation? You reall do not want to make the decision.](stop:)]
(set: $vara to 1)(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You decide you shouldn’t bother your parents with picking up the cat. Knowing them they’d just get mad at you for adopting it in the first place - as if you were the one who had hit it with a 1.5 ton vehicle. It wasn’t your fault. //At all.// You tell Naomi you’ll be over in ten. The veterinary clinic was just |1>[a few blocks away.]](stop:)]
(click: ?1)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You feel guilty for ditching your friends, but you know they’ll understand. You meet them at the the entrance to the cinema. Abby is talking Jason’s ear off about something he clearly doesn’t understand. Your approaching form seems to be a welcome sight to his eyes.
There’s an odd twinkle in them whenever he sees you. It makes your stomach flip, and not in a pleasant way. You feel heavy. You know that you don’t want him to look at you like that. You try convince yourself it’s because you’re close friends. It's just a friend thing. |2>[It doesn’t work.]](stop:)]
(click: ?2)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You tell them your situation, and Jason’s eyes dim considerably, but it seems that they both understand, and they tell you not to worry about it. You can all |2half>[catch another movie] another time. You quickly make your way out the door, your heart beating uneasily in your chest.(click: ?2half)[(t8n:"dissolve")[For some reason, after seeing that light in Jason's
eyes, you're not so interested in watching a movie with him any time soon.](stop:)]
You wonder if you made the right decision. Either way, there was no turning back now. You’re sure that would just make everything worse. You build a venn diagram in your head and fill it with the pros and cons of the choice you just made. When you realize you have at least 8 negatives to your 2 positives, you decide to [[stop trying.->day two naomi p2]]](stop:)] (live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You apologize to Naomi and tell her you’re busy at the moment, but assure her that you’ll give her your mother’s number, and she’ll be the one to pick up Meat. You reason with yourself. It had been her parents’ fault that the cat had gotten run over. Naomi apologizes for bothering you, but expresses her gratitude for your work around. |1>[She hangs up first.] You think she sounded slightly disappointed. If she didn’t hate you before, she probably does now.](stop:)]
(click: ?1)[(t8n:"dissolve")[After returning from the call, you find that your friends have already made themselves comfortable. It appears this place is still so off the grid, there have been no sightings of |1half>[hipsters] yet. (click: ?1half)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You guys are the only ones here. You’re pretty
thankful, since those guys are almost as bad as Jason when he starts passionately belting out the lyrics to All Star.](stop:)] You see that they have left a seat for you next to the All-Star loving boy, so that’s where you sit.
The lights begin to dim and |2>[the movie flashes on the giant screen.] You sink into your seat a little bit more and continue eating the rest of your taco, trying to overcome your fear of having possibly upset Naomi and the fact that she may totally hate your guts.](stop:)]
(click: ?2)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Halfway into the movie, you notice Jason trying to |2half>[move closer] to you through the corner of your eye. He whispers to you, asking how you find the movie so far. You reply saying that it’s pretty okay - nothing special, though. (click: ?2half)[(t8n:"dissolve")[He chuckles a bit
in your ear and tells you that he thinks Abby was right about the Rollo guy actually being kind of hot. He promises you he’s definitely not gay though. You laugh a little bit and turn back to watch the movie.](stop:)]
Your conversation appears to have ended, but for some reason, |3>[Jason hasn’t moved] and still has his face an inch or two away from yours. You’re not sure what to feel about this.](stop:)]
(click: ?3)[(t8n:"dissolve")[A few minutes have passed and Jason is still basically pressed up against you. Your stomach begins to feel funny and you’re not sure if it’s because of the taco or Jason. You really want to watch the movie, but you can’t help and watch Jason at the very edge of your peripheral vision instead.
As you force yourself to focus on the giant screen, you can’t help but notice him |4>[yawn and stretch his arms] above his head. You really hope he’s not about to do what you think he’s about to do.](stop:)]
(click: ?4)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You are extra uncomfortable now. Jason has successfully put his arm around you, and in the most Jason way possible. You have tensed up considerably, but |4half>[Jason] does not seem to notice this. (click: ?4half)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You know he's your friend, but this gesture is
really not appealing to you right now. This hand on your shoulder did not feel like a friend-only thing.](stop:)]
You immediately excuse yourself to [[go the bathroom.->day two friends p2]] If Jason wasn’t the reason behind your stomach beginning to feel funny before, he was definitely the reason now.](stop:)]
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You try to analyze what’s going on while you’re in the bathroom. Maybe you’re blowing things out of proportion, but you think that Jason might have actually just tried to pull a move on you.
If that wasn’t his intention, you feel kinda upset about being so unwelcoming of something you’re sure wasn’t supposed to make you feel uncomfortable especially because you are friends. If it was, you do not think you are very pleased with this.
You hope that maybe when you |1>[come back] he won’t try to pull it again. The movie should be done in a while, anyway. You're not sure what you're going to say to him afterwards. Maybe you can pretend it never happened.](stop:)]
(click: ?1)[(t8n:"dissolve")[As you try and take as much time as possible to make it back to your seat, you notice how intently Abby is watching the movie. There’s a |1half>[little something] about the way the light of the movie hits her face that makes you stop for a while. (click: ?1half)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You find yourself looking at the hue of her face as it changes in time with the shot.
It’s actually kind of really lovely. Being totally unbiased, Abby was pretty - but you’ve never seen her like this before.]]
You shake your head and tell yourself to snap out of it and stop being a weirdo. Nobody thinks about stuff like that. You sit next to Jason again and he seems slightly more reclusive. You really hope you didn’t hurt his feelings. You try and |2>[pay attention] to the movie again.(stop:)]]
(click: ?2)[(t8n:"dissolve")[As you walk out of the cinema, you can tell immediately tell by the look on Jason’s face that he wasn’t feeling as happy as he was before. This is your fault. Thankfully, Abby was there to fill in the silence you and Jason have made for yourselves.
She doesn’t seem to notice something is up, and you hope it stays like that forever. Conflict is scary. After listening to Abby talk about the Rollo guy for another 10 minutes, you and your friends bid each other |3>[farewell.]](stop:)]
(click: ?3)[(t8n:"dissolve")[The walk home is a scary one, as you try to think about your feelings. [[You didn’t like confronting your feelings.->day three]]](stop:)]
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[A lot of things have changed ever since you (if: $vara is 1)[picked up Meat from the clinic.] (else:)[watched that movie with your friends.]](stop:)]
(live: 4s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[(if: $vara is 1)[Jason seemed to be more distant around you, for one. He was still the memelord you knew and loved, but something was off. He liked to make fun of the fact you chose to pick up |1>[a cat] than hang out with him and Abby. It made you feel really bad, but you never said anything. It `//was//` your fault anyway.](else:)[Jason seemed to be more distant around you, for one. He was still the memelord you knew and loved, but something was off. He didn’t seem as bright as he used to be. You decided it was your fault. It must've been just a friend thing and you had made it complicated. He probably hates you now. You should've just gone to pick up |1>[your cat.]]](stop:)]
(click: ?1)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Speaking of, Meat has gotten so fat you started calling him Meatball. He had a habit of laying around the house all day and meowing for treats. When you refuse to give them to him he always gives you the dirtiest look. It feels like he’s blackmailing you - like he knows what you did. Needless to say, |2>[Meatball is incredibly spoiled.]](stop:)]
(click: ?2)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You and Naomi also started talking way more than you thought you would. She’d text you and ask for updates on Meatball’s recovery, and you’d do your best to reply and not sound like a blubbering idiot. She started using (if: $varb is 1)["yank train"](if: $varb is 2)["baby girl"](else:)["down to clown"] in her day-to-day sentences, just to annoy you. |3>[It was extremely unpleasant.]](stop:)]
(click: ?3)[(t8n:"dissolve")[The biggest turn of events was that you've finally realized you were undeniably //gay//.(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[.](stop:)](live: 3s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[.](stop:)] (live: 5s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[And your |4>[mother] knew everything about it.](stop:)]](stop:)]
(click: ?4)[(t8n:"dissolve")[She found out when she had offhandedly asked you if you had a boyfriend yet. You were too engrossed in what you were doing to fully comprehend the sentence and understand what you were just about to say. You mumbled a quick, “I haven’t got a girlfriend yet, no.” The second it left your lips you looked up in shock. Your mother had been |5>[smiling.]](stop:)]
(click: ?5)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You ended up opening up to your mother about everything. Your feelings, your worries, your nervousness. She was a good listener, and she seemed to understand you. You find a business card for a therapist on your pillow the next day - on the back is your mother’s handwriting: |6>[//“Just in case you want to.”//]](stop:)]
(click: ?6)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Although your mom is supportive, you had no idea about how your father felt. Your mother often urged you to tell him as soon as you thought you’d be comfortable doing so, but you never find the time to. The more you think about it, the more you start to dread it. You nitpick every interaction with your father and you realize that he’s not exactly the most understanding guy, but he’s |7>[family.]](stop:)]
(click: ?7)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You also debate about telling your friends, but you don’t know how they’ll take it. You’re still not sure if you have feelings for Abby, and you’re not sure if Jason still has feelings for you. You think that telling either of them is a mistake. |8>[You’re really not sure what you want to do.]](stop:)]
(click: ?8)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Do you want to tell [[your dad->d3 dad]] first, or [[your friends?->d3 friends]] Maybe you just [[won’t say anything->d3 nope]] ever?](stop:)]
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You arrive at the clinic in 13 minutes. You wonder if |1>[Naomi] noticed you were 3 minutes later than you said you’d be. If she did, she doesn’t bring it up as she greets you at the door and flashes |half>[her smile] at you. (click: ?half)[(t8n:"dissolve")[For the second time tonight,
your stomach flips, but in some way it’s a completely different feeling. You decide that this time, it is not unwelcome.]](stop:)]]
(click: ?1)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Naomi hands you a kennel and you take a second to peer in at Meat. He’s lying on his side, eyes closed, not moving. You’re just about to panic as you notice the slow rise and fall of his chest. You look back at Naomi and she seems amused. She tells you that Meat’s on morphine, and there’s absolutely no reason to worry. You’re ashamed she read you so easily. She goes on to explain Meat’s |2>[maintenance regimen.] She assures you that it’s not as much work as it sounds to be, and you dutifully take down notes in your phone, terrified you’ll leave something out or end up forgetting what to do.](stop:)]
(click: ?2)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Clutching Meat’s medicine in one hand, you bend down to pick up his kennel, and your forgotten taco falls from your jacket pocket. Naomi picks it up for you and examines the wrapper. She says she’s been craving a tacos for so long, but all of the places she’s tried so far haven’t been so great. You tell her about the small hole-in-the-wall that you and your friends go to regularly. You assure her they have the best tacos in town. Naomi looks excited and tells you she’ll go sometime, maybe she’ll see you there. She tries to hand the taco back to you. You shrug your shoulders and tell her your hands are full. |3>[She should just keep it.]](stop:)]
(click: ?3)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Naomi seems taken aback, but grateful. You could tell she didn’t expect you to just give it to her. Regardless, she thanks you for the taco, and you find yourself careening towards the exit, your mind racing with questions. Did she think you were too selfish to share? Did she think you weren’t a nice person? Maybe it was too forward to tell her to keep it. What if she thought you were flirting? //Are you flirting?// The question hit deep. Too deep. This was incredibly uncomfortable. |4>[Nothing good came from overthinking.]](stop:)]
(click: ?4)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Your stomach churned with the sudden realization of your feelings. You still didn’t understand anything. You weren’t sure that you wanted to. Your emotions terrified you more than the idea entering a comp shop in the Philippines. You shudder.
The bus ride [[home->day three]] seems longer than it really is. ](stop:)](live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[this story is by gabby gomez & moira vergel de dios from canp tram! we are sorry to say that it is not complete at the moment, and will likely not be complete for the ending of the mental health hackathon.](stop:)]
(live: 4s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[[[thank you!->day one]]](stop:)](live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You decide to talk to your dad first. You figure you would have an easier time telling your dad if your mom was there too, so you beg her to stay with you when you choose to tell him. She agrees, of course. She //is// the same person who has been urging you to tell your dad, anyway. When the time finally comes, |1>[you sit your parents down] in the living room and the whole thing feels so cliche.](stop:)]
(click: ?1)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You’re nervous, but you know this is something you have to do. It was going to happen sooner or later. It’s just four words but you still can’t bring yourself to make anything come out of your mouth. You take a glance at your mom and she gives you an encouraging smile. Your dad just looks really confused. You take a deep breath and start out with, “Mom, Dad-” but your sentence is cut short.](stop:)
(live:2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[|hek>["Why is this so serious?” Your dad asks.]](stop:)]
(click: ?hek)[(t8n:"dissolve")[He’s laughing but you’re not sure if it’s a nice kind of laugh. Your dad jokingly asks you if you’re pregnant and if it’s because of the Jason boy, because if it is - he was going to beat him up to a pulp. Your hands start shaking and your forehead is suddenly sweaty. |2>[You force the words out of your mouth.]](stop:)]]
(click: ?2)[(t8n:"dissolve")[|3>[“I’m not pregnant, I’m gay.”]](stop:)]
(click: ?3)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Your dad shuts up and your entire being is suddenly filled with regret. You want to bash your own head in. Your mom might have the biggest grin on her face but your dad looks horrified. “Wait,” your dad is confused. “Is it April Fool’s? Because you got me.”
He’s about to laugh, until he sees the expression on you and your mother’s face. His eyebrows furrow, and he looks back and forth between the two of you. He is incredulous. |4>[He starts yelling.] Yelling at you for being a freak, yelling at your mom for not telling him, yelling at himself because he doesn’t think he raised you right.](stop:)]
(click: ?2)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You say nothing. Your skin is hot and it feels like there’s no more air in your lungs. Tears are threatening to spill out from your eyes, and you drown out the world. Your mom starts yelling - they’re fighting now, but their voices are muffled. You can’t hear them over your sobs. This wasn’t what was supposed to happen. The door slams and suddenly there are warm arms around you. Your mom’s soft voice is in your ear, telling you it’s going to be okay. [[You hope she’s right.->d3 dad p2]]](stop:)]
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You decide to tell your friends first. You feel like they’d be the most understanding of the situation - at least compared to your dad, anyway. You pace the length of your room for at least an hour. Your mom stepped in at one point to joke about how you were going to run a hole through the floor. For a second you worry it may actually happen, thankfully, it doesn’t, but you don’t want to take your chances. You settle, knowing that this is as |1>[confident] as you’re going to get.](stop:)]
(click: ?1)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You’re nervous, but you know this is something you have to do. It was going to happen sooner or later. There was no point in delaying the inevitable. You reason with yourself. The earlier you tell them, the less misunderstandings will arise. Plus, you’ll need all the support you can get when you finally sit down with your dad. Thinking of how he might react agitates you. You shake the thoughts from your head and try to focus. Who should you call first? |opts>[|ja>[Jason], |na>[Naomi], or |ab>[Abby?]]](stop:)]
(click: ?ja)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Jason doesn't pick up. It goes straight to voicemail. You’re kind of thankful it did. You’re not sure calling Jason would have been the best idea anyway.](stop:)]
(click: ?na)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Why the fuck would you call Naomi? She knows nothing about you. You can’t just dump all your issues on to her. Are you an idiot?](stop:)]
(click: ?ab)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Abby picks up on the third ring. She asks what’s up, and you do your best to casually ask her to meet you at your favorite taco place. She cheerfully agrees, saying that the food is on you. You don’t say no. You can’t bring yourself to. You might as well treat her to lunch while you |2>[drop the bomb] on her. ](stop:)]
(click: ?2)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You arrive in 14 minutes and 21 seconds. You’re not sure if you counted correctly, but you didn’t want to think of anything else. It was the only thing keeping you preoccupied as you gazed through the bus window. When you sit down at your regular booth you suddenly feel a sense of dread run through you. This could go wrong really quickly. |3>[You pray that it does not.]](stop:)]
(click: ?3)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Abby gets there about 5 minutes and 7 seconds later. She sits down across from you, and she looks her normal happy self. You wonder how telling her will affect her mood. You know for a fact that you did not want to get on her bad side. You know that saying about how short people were angrier and more evil because they were closer to hell? You’re pretty sure Abby identified with that - at least to some extent. You quickly get lost in your thoughts and your friend notices. She |4>[calls your name], once, twice, a third time.](stop:)]
(click: ?4)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You snap out of your thoughts to realize your palms are sweating and the back of your shirt is damp. You quickly thank your past self for deciding not to wear grey, before you return to worrying about what to say. You don’t know how to handle this. Are you supposed to |choices>[|e>[ease into it] or just |c>[cut straight to the chase?]]](stop:)]
(click: ?c)[(replace: ?choices)[ease into it or hust cut straight to the chase?](t8n:"dissolve")[|5>[“I’m gay.”]](stop:)] (click: ?e)[(replace: ?choices)[ease into it or just cut straight to the chase?](t8n:"dissolve")["So," you say, hoping your pause seems meaningful. You lock eyes with Abby and she raises her eyebrow. "So," she repeats. "You sound like there's something you want to tell me." You nod in approval and nervously look out the window. You catch Abby roll her eyes in your peripherals. You slowly look back at her. |5>["I'm gay."]](stop:)]
(click: ?5)[(t8n:"dissolve")[The two words come out like a bullet. They pierce through the tension in the air and hang in the brief moment. You can’t tell what Abby is thinking. You search her face for answers, but she gives nothing away. She just seems shocked. You try to rub the sweat off your palms, bracing yourself for |6>[her response.]](stop:)]
(click: ?6)[(t8n:"dissolve")[|7>[“Tell me everything.”]](stop:)]
(click: ?7)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You do. You start with Naomi and all the little things that came with her: Meat (turned Meatball), the texting, and volunteering at the clinic. You tell her about her smile and the way your heart constricts whenever you’re around her. You tell her about Jason. The way his eyes light up whenever you enter the room and the way your stomach flips in response. You tell her about you parents. |7half>[The way your mother found out] (click: ?7half)[(t8n:"dissolve")[(Abby stifles a laugh and calls you an idiot)](stop:)] and the way she urges you to tell your dad. You tell her about your feelings - the ones you have for her - and you trail off as you meet |8>[her eyes.]](stop:)]
(click: ?8)[(t8n:"dissolve")[This is the most quiet you’ve ever seen Abby. It’s a minute and 34 seconds of deadening stillness until she finally speaks. She apologizes, rejects you politely and begins to address everything you’ve brought up. She mentions that you should probably tell Jason and to let him down easy. She knows how long he’s been pining over you. She agrees with your mother though. The sooner you come out to your father, the easier it will be on you. Nevertheless, she knows that none of this is easy and she’ll do her best to be there for you through it all. She’s your |9>[best friend], after all.](stop:)]
(click: ?9)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You stay quiet, mulling over being placed in the imaginary friend zone. You feel absolutely nothing. Being rejected didn’t hurt like you thought it would. You just feel warm and thankful for Abby. |10>[Then it clicks.] You never had feelings for Abby - it had always been platonic. You rushed to conclusions and everything got mixed up when you realized you were gay. Your friendship with her was the closest thing you had to a romantic relationship, and you confused it for that.](stop:)]
(click: ?10)[(t8n:"dissolve")[[[You thank her.->d3 friends p2]]](stop:)](live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[i'm so sorry. this route has not been finished yet!](stop:)]
(live: 4s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[[[return->day three]]](stop:)]
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Your dad doesn’t come home that night, or the next. Your mother is heartbroken. You wonder how two measly little words could ruin not just your life, but your mom’s, and your dad’s. You leave the house, and you’re not sure where you’re going or what you’re going to do. You find yourself at your favorite taco shop, and you sit down in your regular booth, alone. Who should you call? |opts>[|ja>[Jason], |na>[Naomi], or |ab>[Abby?]]](stop:)]
(click: ?ja)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Jason doesn't pick up. It goes straight to voicemail. You’re kind of thankful it did. You’re not sure calling Jason would have been the best idea anyway.](stop:)]
(click: ?na)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Why the fuck would you call Naomi? She knows nothing about you. You can’t just dump all your issues on to her. Are you an idiot?](stop:)]
(click: ?ab)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Abby picks up on the third ring. She asks what’s up, and you find yourself choking back a sob. You shakily ask her if she wants to hang out. She notices the tremor in your voice, and she agrees. You tell her where you are, and she says |1>[she’ll be there] as soon as she can.](stop:)]
(click: ?1)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Abby arrives 17 minutes and 42 seconds later. You’re not sure if you counted correctly, but you didn’t want to think of anything else. It was the only thing keeping you preoccupied. She sits down across from you, and all it takes is the worried look in her eyes for you to burst into tears. You look like an idiot - more so than usual. Abby says nothing. She holds your hand and rubs it soothingly, but it doesn’t help. You’re more confused than before. When you pull away, she looks hurt. She asks what’s wrong.
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[|opts>[|d>[Don’t tell her.]
|d>[Don’t tell her.]
|d>[Don’t tell her.]]](stop:)]](stop:)]
(click: ?d)[(replace: ?opts)[DON'T TELL HER.](t8n:"dissolve")[You tell her everything - from the first time you saw Naomi smile to Jason’s advances and your dad’s disapproval of your sexual orientation. Abby does nothing but listen and look at you with soft eyes. This was the most |2>[quiet] you’ve ever seen her. You run out of breath explaining everything, and your body feels like it’s about to sink into your seat.](stop:)]
(click: ?2)[(t8n:"dissolve")[|3>[“I guess Ellen’s not my favorite lesbian anymore.”]](stop:)]
(click: ?3)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Abby’s laughing now, but it sounds forced. You look up at her through blurry eyes. You feel kind of angry. Is that all she can say after everything you’ve told her? What the fuck? Did she think that this was some kind of joke? |4>[You find yourself yelling at her.]](stop:)]
(click: ?4)[(t8n:"dissolve")[|5>[“Abby, I was almost fucking GAY for YOU.”]](stop:)]
(click: ?5)[(t8n:"dissolve")[She shuts up and her eyes are wide in surprise. Your tears start flowing again. You didn’t think you could ever cry this much in the span of a few days. Abby apologizes. She’s not that great at handling these kinds of situations. You don’t blame her. You’re not sure what you’d do in her position. You both fall |6>[silent.]](stop:)]
(click: ?6)[(t8n:"dissolve")[After a minute and 33 seconds, Abby speaks. She rejects you politely and begins to address everything you’ve brought up. She mentions that you should probably tell Jason and to let him down easy. She knows how long he’s been pining over you. In regards to your family, she thinks that you should try to contact your dad and work it out with him. She knows that none of this is easy and she’ll do her best to be there for you through it all. She’s |7>[your best friend], after all.](stop:)]
(click: ?7)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You stay quiet, mulling over being placed in the imaginary friend zone. You feel absolutely nothing. Being rejected didn’t hurt like you thought it would. You just feel warm and thankful for Abby. Then it clicks. You never had feelings for Abby - it had always been platonic. You rushed to conclusions and everything got mixed up when you realized you were gay. Your friendship with her was the closest thing you had to a romantic relationship, and you confused it for that.
(live: 4s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[[[You thank her.->d3 dad p3]]]]](stop:)](live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[After your talk with Abby, you leave the taco shop and decide to |1>[call Jason.] You feel like it might be better to get this talk with him over with at once rather than wait a few more days and have your thoughts eat you alive instead. You’re still shaky and nervous, but at least you’ll only be shaky and nervous for the next hour or so if you do it now. Abby did encourage you to tell Jason immediately, and you think it would be unfair to leave him out of it. He’s you best friend too.](stop:)]
(click: ?1)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You make it to voicemail again, but this time you tell him it’s important and he really needs to pick up. You decide to wait for him to call this time. Knowing him, he was definitely on his phone and you trusted he’d call you back. You decide to |2>[count the seconds] until he does.](stop:)]
(click: ?2)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Your phone rings exactly 5 minutes and 14 seconds after you left the message on voicemail. This is exactly what you were waiting for, but it still catches you off guard and honestly, you really kind of don’t want to pick up. But you have to, and so you do. “Hello?” you say nervously. There’s a small pause before you hear a reply from the other end, |3>[“Hey, Jason at your service."]](stop:)]
(click: ?3)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You ask if he’s busy right now and if he’s not, you’d really appreciate if you and him can go out to talk about something. He agrees, and you both decide to meet up at the park along the playground. He says he should be there in about 15, give or take. He’ll see you |4>[at the swings.] Once you hang up, you begin walking to your assigned destination trying to play all the possible things that could happen once you get there. Your brain seems to think the only outcomes are bad ones. You would like to hope the real result isn’t.](stop:)]
(click: ?4)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You’re sitting on the left swing when Jason finally shows up with ... a bouquet? You’re confused. You’re about to ask him why he has flowers when he starts speaking. (if: $vara is 1)[He says he’s sorry for being so distant recently, and for teasing you about ditching him.](else:)[He says he’s sorry for being so distant recently, and for hitting on you during that movie.]
He explains that he’s just been feeling a lot of things lately, and he wasn’t quite sure how to deal with them so he figured ignoring the would make them go away. However, it just resulted in him ignoring his own friends instead. |5>[His voice is shaking.] You know exactly where this is going.](stop:)]
(click: ?5)[(t8n:"dissolve")[“Um, Kim- I,” He forces out of his throat. |6>[“I like you.] As if that wasn’t obvious enough already, though.”](stop:)]
(click: ?6)[(t8n:"dissolve")[[[Shoot.->d3 dad p4]]](stop:)]
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You struggle to find the right words to say. You mumble that you’re sorry. He asks why. Your voice is barely a whisper when you say it’s because you don’t feel the same. His facial expression changes, and you can see the very point where his mood completely fell. You know it was tough for him to say something like that, and to have |1>[rejected him] so fast definitely made it so much worse for him.](stop:)]
(click: ?1)[(t8n:"dissolve")[[“Is it because I’m not good enough for you or something?”]<2| He asks, clearly hurt.](stop:)]
(click: ?2)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You panic and blurt out that it’s not his fault. You just can’t like him. He says he can change for you. He’ll even throw away his fidget spinner collection if he has to. You mean a lot to him and he wants to be the best for you.
He starts listing things you make fun of him for and how he can adjust. The more things he lists, the more you start to feel a little angry. You don’t know why, but you feel the need to just tell him to shut up. He’s making it seem like it’s |3>[YOUR fault] you don’t like him.](stop:)]
(click: ?3)[(t8n:"dissolve")[“You’re being delusional. You can change as much as you want for me but I’ll never, EVER like you”, You snap, |4>[“I’m GAY, Jason. GAY.”]](stop:)]
(click: ?4)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Jason’s facial expression changes again, but this time he isn’t looking so sad anymore. He was angry. Furious, even. “What do you mean you’re gay?” He says in exasperation, dropping the bouquet of flowers. “How can you be gay? I LOVE you. I don’t understand.”
His hands are scratching his head and you suddenly feel really bad. What you said was probably the complete opposite of letting him down easy, and was definitely not the best way to come out to him either. |5>[You shouldn’t have snapped at him like that.]](stop:)]
(click: ?5)[(t8n:"dissolve")[“Is this some sort of joke, Kim?”, He asks, his arms up in the air. You kind of want him to tone down. People are starting to look. You choke out that it’s not a joke, and you really are gay. You’re sorry that you snapped and this wasn’t how you wanted to let him know.
You care about him and this wasn’t what you wanted to happen. You try to explain that you’re just as confused as he might be feeling, maybe in a different way, but things haven’t been easy for you too. Before you get anywhere close to finished, |6>[he interrupts you.]](stop:)]
(click: ?6)[(t8n:"dissolve")[“Just stop. Please. I don’t want to hear any of that. I’ve had enough.” He says, and he turns to walk in the opposite direction. You reach out to grab his arm and ask him to please just listen to you, but he swats your hand away. “If you really care about me, you’ll just leave me alone.” You take a step back and watch as |7>[he leaves.] You’re speechless.](stop:)]
(click: ?7)[(t8n:"dissolve")[It’s only when Jason is but a little speck on the horizon when you sink back into the swing and try really hard not to cry in a public area. [[“I’m so sorry,”->d4]] you whisper, over and over again, hoping that your feelings reach him and he knows that you truly are.](stop:)]
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[i'm so sorry. this game has not been finished yet. ):](stop:)]
(live: 4s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[[[return to start?->day one]]](stop:)]
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[After your talk with Abby, you leave the taco shop and decide to |1>[call Jason.] You feel like it might be better to get this talk with him over with at once rather than wait a few more days and have your thoughts eat you alive instead. You’re still shaky and nervous, but at least you’ll only be shaky and nervous for the next hour or so if you do it now. Abby did encourage you to tell Jason immediately, and you think it would be unfair to leave him out of it. He’s you best friend too.](stop:)]
(click: ?1)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You make it to voicemail again, but this time you tell him it’s important and he really needs to pick up. You decide to wait for him to call this time. Knowing him, he was definitely on his phone and you trusted he’d call you back. You decide to |2>[count the seconds] until he does.](stop:)]
(click: ?2)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Your phone rings exactly 5 minutes and 14 seconds after you left the message on voicemail. This is exactly what you were waiting for, but it still catches you off guard and honestly, you really kind of don’t want to pick up. But you have to, and so you do. “Hello?” you say nervously. There’s a small pause before you hear a reply from the other end, |3>[“Hey, Jason at your service."]](stop:)]
(click: ?3)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You ask if he’s busy right now and if he’s not, you’d really appreciate if you and him can go out to talk about something. He agrees, and you both decide to meet up at the park along the playground. He says he should be there in about 15, give or take. He’ll see you |4>[at the swings.] Once you hang up, you begin walking to your assigned destination trying to play all the possible things that could happen once you get there. Your brain seems to think the only outcomes are bad ones. You would like to hope the real result isn’t.](stop:)]
(click: ?4)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You’re sitting on the left swing when Jason finally shows up with ... a bouquet? You’re confused. You’re about to ask him why he has flowers when he starts speaking. (if: $vara is 1)[He says he’s sorry for being so distant recently, and for teasing you about ditching him.](else:)[He says he’s sorry for being so distant recently, and for hitting on you during that movie.]
He explains that he’s just been feeling a lot of things lately, and he wasn’t quite sure how to deal with them so he figured ignoring the would make them go away. However, it just resulted in him ignoring his own friends instead. |5>[His voice is shaking.] You know exactly where this is going.](stop:)]
(click: ?5)[(t8n:"dissolve")[“Um, Kim- I,” He forces out of his throat. |6>[“I like you.] As if that wasn’t obvious enough already, though.”](stop:)]
(click: ?6)[(t8n:"dissolve")[[[Shoot.->d3 friends p3]]](stop:)]
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You struggle to find the right words to say. You mumble that you’re sorry. He asks why. Your voice is barely a whisper when you say it’s because you don’t feel the same. His facial expression changes, and you can see the very point where his mood completely fell. You know it was tough for him to say something like that, and to have |1>[rejected him] so fast definitely made it so much worse for him.](stop:)]
(click: ?1)[(t8n:"dissolve")[[“Is it because I’m not good enough for you or something?”]<2| He asks, clearly hurt.](stop:)]
(click: ?2)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You panic and blurt out that it’s not his fault. You just can’t like him. He says he can change for you. He’ll even throw away his fidget spinner collection if he has to. You mean a lot to him and he wants to be the best for you.
He starts listing things you make fun of him for and how he can adjust. The more things he lists, the more you start to feel a little angry. You don’t know why, but you feel the need to just tell him to shut up. He’s making it seem like it’s |3>[YOUR fault] you don’t like him.](stop:)]
(click: ?3)[(t8n:"dissolve")[“You’re being delusional. You can change as much as you want for me but I’ll never, EVER like you”, You snap, |4>[“I’m GAY, Jason. GAY.”]](stop:)]
(click: ?4)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Jason’s facial expression changes again, but this time he isn’t looking so sad anymore. He was angry. Furious, even. “What do you mean you’re gay?” He says in exasperation, dropping the bouquet of flowers. “How can you be gay? I LOVE you. I don’t understand.”
His hands are scratching his head and you suddenly feel really bad. What you said was probably the complete opposite of letting him down easy, and was definitely not the best way to come out to him either. |5>[You shouldn’t have snapped at him like that.]](stop:)]
(click: ?5)[(t8n:"dissolve")[“Is this some sort of joke, Kim?”, He asks, his arms up in the air. You kind of want him to tone down. People are starting to look. You choke out that it’s not a joke, and you really are gay. You’re sorry that you snapped and this wasn’t how you wanted to let him know.
You care about him and this wasn’t what you wanted to happen. You try to explain that you’re just as confused as he might be feeling, maybe in a different way, but things haven’t been easy for you too. Before you get anywhere close to finished, |6>[he interrupts you.]](stop:)]
(click: ?6)[(t8n:"dissolve")[“Just stop. Please. I don’t want to hear any of that. I’ve had enough.” He says, and he turns to walk in the opposite direction. You reach out to grab his arm and ask him to please just listen to you, but he swats your hand away. “If you really care about me, you’ll just leave me alone.” You take a step back and watch as |7>[he leaves.] You’re speechless.](stop:)]
(click: ?7)[(t8n:"dissolve")[It’s only when Jason is but a little speck on the horizon when you sink back into the swing and try really hard not to cry in a public area. [[“I’m so sorry,”->d3 friends p4]] you whisper, over and over again, hoping that your feelings reach him and he knows that you truly are.](stop:)]
(live: 2s)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Days pass and still Jason refuses to look you in the eye. You’re not sure what to do anymore. You think speaking to him will just make it worse. Your parents notice your sudden shift in demeanor. They’re getting concerned, and often try to ask you what’s wrong, but you shrug it off. |1>[You lie.] You tell them you’re fine. You tell them there’s nothing to worry about. You’ve just been feeling tired lately, that’s all.](stop:)]
(click: ?1)[(t8n:"dissolve")[A day later, they corner you at the dinner table. They know that there’s something you’re not telling them. “Seriously honey, what’s wrong?” Your mom’s voice is soft and comforting. |2>[“You know you can tell us anything.”] She holds your hand from her seat across yours. From there, it doesn’t take much for you to burst into tears. |3>[You feel like an idiot.]](stop:)]
(click: ?3)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You’ve been wallowing for almost a week. Everything reminds you of him and you don’t want to keep reliving it. You take a longer route to school now in order to avoid passing his house. You reject Abby’s invites to hang out in fear of seeing him. You don’t even go online on any of your social media - each notification sound you hear has you excited that it’s him, ready to apologize.](stop:)]
(click: ?2)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You quietly and quickly explain your fight with Jason, remembering to leave out all the bits about you being gay. You tell them he had confessed and you had turned him down. It just ended up escalating and blew out of proportion. You miss your friend and his presence in your life. You tell them |4>[it's nothing.] It'll be over sooner or later.](stop:)]
(click: ?4)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Your dad is angry. His eyebrows furrow, and he looks back and forth between the two of you. He is incredulous. He can’t believe that you’re friends with someone so incredibly inconsiderate. It absolutely baffles him. He’s threatening to actually walk out the door this instant to go and confront the idiot, and tell him to shape up. You speak up and say that it’s not his fault, desperately trying to defend Jason. |5>[This makes your dad angrier.] He is now yelling about how even if you’ve already acknowledged that he’s hurt you, you’re still trying to defend him. He calls you insane and tells you to get out of his way.](stop:)]
(click: ?5)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You’re angry. You tell your dad HE’S insane. He’s the one who wants to beat up some random confused teenager. He’s an adult, he should know better than resorting to violence. You call him irrational and tell him it’s not like he’s never been confused about his feelings, or that he’s never unintentionally hurt someone else. You say it again. |6>[It’s not his fault.]](stop:)]
(click: ?6)[(t8n:"dissolve")[“It’s not his fault, dad. It’s mine. It’s my fault because-” In a hotheaded flash, you spit out the words you weren’t supposed to. “Because |7>[I’m gay.] That’s why I rejected him.”](stop:)]
(click: ?7)[(t8n:"dissolve")[This only makes your dad angrier. He has now completely shifted all of his anger from Jason to you. |8>[He’s yelling.] Yelling about how you are a freak of nature, yelling at himself and your mom for not raising you right.](stop:)]
(click: ?8)[(t8n:"dissolve")[You say nothing. Your skin is hot and it feels like there’s no more air in your lungs. Tears are threatening to spill out from your eyes, and you drown out the world. Your mom starts yelling - they’re fighting now, but their voices are muffled. You can’t hear them over your sobs. This wasn’t what was supposed to happen. The door slams and suddenly there are warm arms around you. Your mom’s soft voice is in your ear, telling you it’s going to be okay. |9>[You hope she’s right.]](stop:)]
(click: ?9)[(t8n:"dissolve")[Your dad doesn’t come home that night, or the next. Your mother is heartbroken. You wonder how two measly little words could ruin not just your life, but your mom’s, and your dad’s. You’re lost and you don’t know what to do. You sit and stare into the void, letting yourself sink into the reality of the disastrous mess your actions have caused. [[You’re sorry.->d4]]](stop:)]