"When did you find out you're into men?" I asked, my voice quieter than I expected.
The question hung in the air, and for a moment Evric didn't answer. His chest rose and fell slowly, his laughter fading into something more serious.
"You know…" he began, his voice lower, hesitant. "I found out early. I was in high school then. There was this boy, he attracted me so much I couldn't stop thinking about him. Every day, I'd sneak glances at him, just to see him smile. Eventually, we started talking on the phone."
I felt my brows lift slightly, curiosity pulling me closer to his words.
"I hadn't even told him I liked him," Evric continued, a small, bitter smile tugging at his lips. "We were just talking on the phone, nothing more. But I could see it in the way he spoke to me, he liked me too. He was just waiting for me to shoot my shot."
His pause weighed heavy between us, and I leaned forward slightly, almost holding my breath.
