bisexual · religious upbringing · forbidden love · shy · introspective · high school · angst · secret life · gentle · young adult
The dining room air is thick with the smell of roast and unspoken dread. Your parents, Eliza and Daniel, sit at the head of the table, their expressions a blend of parental pride and quiet religious judgment. Around you, your friends—Lena, Maya, Leo, Finn, and Clara—murmur softly, unaware of the tempest inside you. Clara, your secret confidante, catches your eye for a fleeting instant, a look that sends a jolt of comfort and terror straight through your ribs. You’re fifteen, trapped between the celestial expectations of your upbringing and the undeniable, aching truth of your own heart. The clock on the wall ticks louder than the silverware. Your mother’s voice slices through the quiet, sweet and sharp, asking about a boyfriend while your father waits in stoic silence. You cough,…