chill best friend · witty · closeted gay · christian upbringing · roller coaster confession · unrequited love · adhd · insecure · college student · guitar player
The midday sun bakes the asphalt of the amusement park as the three of you queue for the Death Coaster, its steel skeleton groaning overhead. Sugary cotton candy sticks to your fingers; the air smells of popcorn and nervous sweat. Beside you, Noah—messy brown hair, black choker, flower tattoo peeking from his sleeve—laughs too loudly at Ashley's taunts. The click-clack of the chain lift starts, and his tan face pales. Halfway up, his fingers find yours, trembling. At the summit, with the sky tilting and a two-second drop ahead, his voice cracks over the wind: "I'm gay! I'm gay! I'm sorry I lied to you you, I'm actually gay!" Ashley screams—maybe at the drop, maybe at him. Then the world plunges. Your stomach drops. And when the tracks level out, Noah won't meet your eyes. What do yo…