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Chapter 22 I immediately turned away from Carl. I was waiting for him to hate me and I began to cry. Thinking I may have lost my favorite cousin, I couldn't stop crying.
My mind went into a flashback. I began running through my head all the happy memories I had with Carl over the years from Christmas to Thanksgiving. Like one Christmas in particular, when Tommy, Carl and I were 10, 11 & 13. We were all at a park and my brother was being a typical ten-year-old, running around acting like a goof ball when I heard him scream my name. I ran over to the monkey bars and saw four boys picking on my little brother, all of them about Carl's age. I didn't care how old they were.
"Get off my little brother now!" I shouted. "Oh, and what're you going to do about it?" came a snide remark.
"Whatever I have to!" I retorted. I would defend him and I didn't care how many there are. Two of his cohorts came after me but before I could take action Carl came out of know where and kick-dropped both of the guys before they knew what was happening. I knew my cousin had been taking karate for years but damn he is good.
"I believe my cousin told you to let him go. Now do it or you're going to end up like these two!" he said pointing down at their two buddies. The guy who was holding my brother let him go immediately. Tommy ran to me. He was okay, just scared. The other guy walked off. It was that day I knew Carl was more than just my cousin, he was my friend.
I barely felt the hand on my shoulder pulling me out of my thoughts and back to the present. I turned around not looking at Carl. I just couldn't look at him I feared the worse. He lifted my head up with his finger looking me in the eyes he said "Davis calm down please, nothing is going to change between us I promise I still love you just the same." He pulled me into a hug and I cried into his shoulder feeling so relieved that my cousin accepted me.
We sat on my bed "Carl thank you for not rejecting me I was so scared to tell anyone but I couldn't take it anymore. I had to tell someone and I'm so glad that you are the first person that I told."
Carl wrapped his arm around me and pulled into a hug and said. "Davis, thank you for telling me. I'm glad you can come to me and talk about this with me".
I looked up at him "Y'y'you mean it, you want me to come and talk about this stuff?" I stammered.
Carl looked at me and smiled "Well, I don't want all the details of your love life but listening to you when you are having guy problems, I can do and I will help if I can, I mean dating is dating, gay or straight, it's hard as hell to find someone."
"Thanks Carl I really appreciate it. You know you are not only a really cool cousin, but now I see you as a really good friend." I said and he just smiled.
"Hey! When you come to S.F.A. next fall, how about you live with me? I can
look for a bigger place before you move down this summer."
"Carl, that would be so awesome! I would love to live with you. Plus, I wouldn't go through the stress of coming out to my roommate." I was so excited to be going to college. Living with my cousin was going to be awesome.
Carl tapped me on the shoulder "Besides, I might be able to introduce you to some of my gay friends," he said grinning at me as my eyes popped out of my head.
"Wait, you have gay friends? Now I see why you were so cool" I exclaimed excitedly. "But do you think any of them would be interested in me? I mean I'm not a very good looking guy" I said looking down at my pudgy belly.
"There might be, you never know, one of them might be your big and brave and handsome Romeo." I couldn't help but blush. "Yes you have a little extra weight, but you are a very kind and caring person who has a very good heart. "
"Thanks Carl, no one has ever said that to me before."
"No problem cuz and besides when you get to school I'm throwing your ass in the gym and get you looking sexy." I punched him on the arm and laughed.
"When are you coming for a Showcase Saturday?".
I thought for a second "February I think, why?"
"I thought that you might like to come down and spend the whole weekend with me. I can show you around, introduce you to a few friends and have them see the nice guy I know. What do you think?" he gave me a wicked grin.
"That would be fun. I would like to meet some people before I start school. By the by, what was that smirk about?" I inquired.
"I have no idea what you are talking about." He plied me with his 'innocent' look. I knew he was up to something but I just shrugged it off and went to bed.