Part 10

                                    

                                          
Cyrus' POV



                          
After a while, we finally separate, but his hand stays locked with mine. I can't believe I just did that. I just kissed TJ Kippen—and he kissed me back. 
                          
He smiles as he falls back on the dock, looking up at the sky. I do the same. 
                          
"I really like you, Cyrus," he says softly.
                          
"I really like you too, TJ," I respond, firming my grip on his hand. I don't want to let him go. 
                          
"What do I do now?"
                          
"What do you mean?"
                          
He rubs his face with his free hand. "I'm scared. I'm scared of what comes next—coming out."
                          
I know exactly how he feels. "Me too." I turn my head to look at him. "But you know we'll figure this out." I know we will. I feel like the world is in my hands. I kissed TJ Kippen and he likes me back. How could anything stop us now?
                          
"We," he repeats. "I like that."
                          
I stare at him, noticing the way the blue of the moonlight makes his blonde hair glow. After a moment, he turns his head to match my gaze. Then he shifts himself up on his elbow so he can lean over and kiss me again. 
                          
"Sorry," he says. "I just really wanted to do that again."
                          
"Don't apologize," I say. "I like it. I like you."
                          
He smiles, then sits up. "Do you want to go back to the party?"
                          
"Are you ready to go back?" I ask.
                          
He nods. "As ready as I'll ever be."
                          
I smile as he stands, pulling my up by my hand. We walk back to the lodge, and stop at the doors to the diner. Once we enter, we'll be seen.
                          
"Are you worried?" I ask him. "About what they'll think?"
                          
"Not them. I think they'll be okay."
                          
"I think so too."
                          
He takes the first step, our hands still knotted together like string. I don't let him go. I'm not going to let him be alone anymore. I'm going to be by his side through it all. And I think he's going to let me.
                          
Buffy is the first to notice us. She perks up, hitting Jonah on the arm, causing him to look over at us as well. They both watch as we approach them at the table and sit down. 
                          
"So I assume it went well," she says. "I'm so happy for you two."
                          
"I'm confused," Jonah says.
                          
TJ glances at me, and I start to explain it to Jonah. "TJ and I are—" I look to TJ who gives me a nod of confirmation "—a couple." 
                          
"Wait," Jonah responds, "were you not before?"
                          
That makes Buffy burst into laughter. "They practically were," she says to Jonah. 
                          
I feel my face turn red. TJ and I share a glance. He's blushing too. 
                          
Then I hear Bex coming up behind us, saying, "Hey, guys!" She has a wide grin on her face. "What's up?"
                          
"TJ and Cyrus are dating now," Buffy tells her, which makes Bex's grin spread even wider than I thought was possible. 
                          
"That's so cute! I love it!"
                          
The song projecting through the speakers switches to another fast-paced pop song, and TJ frowns. 
                          
"What's wrong?" I ask.
                          
"I wish I hadn't missed my chance to slow dance with you."
                          
I feel myself blush again. 
                          
"Hold on," Bex cuts in. "I've got this." Then she zips off between the maze of tables. 
                          
Buffy chuckles, then moves onto another topic. "Jonah, are you gonna finish that?"
                          
Jonah looks down at the slice of half-eaten cheesecake on his plate. "Probably not."
                          
"Can I have it?"
                          
He pushes the dish over to her side of the table, where she immediately grabs her fork to devour it. 
                          
"Wanna get dessert?" TJ asks. 
                          
"Sure."
                          
I follow him over to the back of the room, where a long table holds a plethora of goodies. I immediately reach for a brownie and take a bite. TJ picks up a butter tart. We watch the crowd dance as we finish our desserts. Then TJ looks over at me and brushes my cheek with his finger. 
                          
"You had brownie on your face," he says. 
                          
The song playing fades out and what plays next is surely Bex's work. Richard Marx's "Right Here Waiting" begins, and TJ gives me a look with his eyebrows raised as if asking if I'm thinking the same thing. 
                          
I certainly am. I take his hand and pull him over to the dance floor. He puts his arms around my waist and I put mine around his neck. He smiles down at me as we start swaying to the music. 
                          
"Oh my gosh, finally!" Andi's voice rings out.
                          
I didn't notice her and Amber slow dancing beside us. They're both looking at us with intense grins on their faces.
                          
"You guys are so cute!" Amber says. 
                          
TJ grins at me and I feel butterflies in my stomach. As the song goes on, TJ pulls me closer and I rest my head on his shoulder. I've never been this close to him before and I never want to move from this position. But as the song ends, I do move. I lift my head up to see his lips, which come down to meet mine. It's soft and gentle, yet still makes my heart thump. I like this. I like him. 
                          
______________________________________
                          
"You got everything packed?" I ask.
                          
The rest of the weekend flew by, and now TJ and I are the last ones left gathering our belongings. The others are all out loading their things into Bowie's car. 
                          
"Almost," TJ says. He comes over and wraps his arms around my waist. "Now I've got everything."
                          
"That was cheesy and cliché and I love it."
                          
He gives me a light kiss on my lips before letting me go. We lift our bags out of the cabin and I close the door behind us. TJ glances over at the dock on the lake and sets his bag down on the grass. I do the same and follow him to the end of the dock, where I curl my hand into his. 
                          
The sun beams off the lake, showing the reflection of the trees on the water. This is where everything changed. 
                          
"Are you scared of leaving?" I ask. 
                          
He removes his hand from mine and brings his arms around me instead, so that my back is against chest. He holds me against him with his chin on my shoulder, both of us staring out at the trees. 
                          
"Once we leave, we have to deal with everything else out there," he says.
                          
"We," I remind him. 
                          
"I wish we could stay here forever." He kisses my head, keeping his arms tight around my chest.
                          
"Me too," I say. "You know, if you want me to be there when you tell your parents, I can do that."
                          
"Nah," he says. "I think I should tell them on my own."
                          
"If you're sure."
                          
"What about you? Are you going to tell your parents?"
                          
"Yeah, but I think they'll be fine with it. They've helped lots of LGBT patients before, so it'll probably be okay."
                          
"Why haven't you told them yet, then?"
                          
"It's still scary, you know?" 
                          
"Yeah, I know."
                          
We stand together in the silence for a moment until it's broken by Andi's shouting.
                          
"Hey, guys, it's time to go!" she calls. 
                          
TJ lets me go and takes my hand. Then we stroll back up the dock toward the land. Goodbye, lake. I'll never meet another place as simply perfect as you.