The Life After--Part Eight--Jonathan Comes Out

I opened my cell phone. There was a text from Jonathan.

"Hey, Andy. Yes, I am gay. It is something that I am not proud of and it is not how I define my life. Thanks for being awesome. We should talk about it later."

I smiled.

"So," Katrina asked. "Is he gay?"

I noddded. "He is."

Katrina thought for a moment. "Well, at least you know now. No more guessing, right?"

"Right."

She paused. "Do you...like him or something?"

I didn't know how to answer that. Of course I appreciated our roommate "friendship". I didn't think I liked him, but...I wasn't sure. I honestly felt as if he would never like me, as I always have had low self-esteem issues. How could someone so attractive ever like someone as "fugly" as myself? He he. "Fugly..."

Katrina and I talked about Jonathan and how he didn't seem too gay--except for the Shirtless Seven incident. Jonathan loved playing basketball and football with his cousins. He would go shooting up in the canyon almost every weekend. He carved wood flutes almost every week. He had to have been the "straightest" gay guy I had ever met.

Later that night, Jonathan and I had an opportunity to talk to each other about him being gay.

It was an interesting conversation. He basically told me that he was only out to a very few select group of people. His parents didn't know and neither did any member of his family. His dad was the bishop of his ward back home and his mom was the relief society president. His cousin was in the local elders quorum presidency in our college ward and Jon was too afraid to come out to any of them. Understandable.

Over the course of the semester, Jonathan and I became very close housemates. I remember when we spent the Christmas break together. I only had four days off for Christmas and so did Jonathan. Our other roommates were gone for the full break and we had the house together. Just the two of us. Alone.

During that short week, I learned more about Jonathan and his life than I needed to. I learned about his sex life, drug life, and secret alcohol life. It was a reality check that I didn't sign up for.

But it was one that I needed to experience.

~End Part Eight