Page 73 of The Step Don't

And oh shit. Did I just come out? I still haven’t given myself a proper label, and while I don’t need one for me, I know others do.

“Congrats, man. I’m happy for you.”

I kinda love that Troy doesn’t ask about my sexuality, because it’s still something I haven’t sorted out. “Wanna know something weird? It’s not a thing I’ve even thought about much. I’ve always noticed guys, but never dissected what that meant. And I love boning Ash, so surprise! I guess I’m bisexual.”

Troy chuckles. “There are a lot of things you can be—pan, for example—but if that’s not something that matters to you, it’s not something you have to figure out right now.”

And it’s not. Right now, I just want to talk to my friend about how to make things official with Ash.

I plop down in the armchair in the small living room, Troy taking a seat on the couch.

“How long has this been going on?”

“A couple of months,” I admit, feeling guilty because I didn’t tell him. I don’t for a second think that’s why Troy said it, but still. “I know I had my feelings hurt when you didn’t tell me about you and Atlas right away, and now I did the same with Ash.”

Troy holds his hand up. “It’s okay. I get it. You don’t have to apologize. You might have been bummed I didn’t talk to you before I told everyone, but you still supported me from the start. That’s what matters.”

“Thanks, bro.” Troy really is a good buddy. I’m so fucking lucky to have him.

“So…you and Ash…”

“Me and Ash. And like I said, I love him. I just realized it today, which means I gotta tell him.” I’m not committing a Step Don’t.

He chuckles. “There’s not a part of me that’s surprised. You’ve always been different with him. It would take an idiot not to realize you two are special to each other.”

And that idiot is me. “You mean you and Atlas didn’t wake up naked in bed together before you started hooking up?” I tease.

“Absolutely not, though it would have been fun.”

“Yeah, well, I wish I could have enjoyed the benefits of it much sooner.” We share another laugh before I sober. “I want to make it official with him. We joked about being boyfriends the other day but never confirmed if it was real or not.” I feel like it’s real. I feel like we’ve been boyfriends for a long-ass time, and I know it in my heart Ash wants it too. We’re too attuned to each other not to be on the same wavelength with something this big.

“Let me guess, a simple date and asking him isn’t going to cut it?”

I cock a brow at him as if it’s the silliest question in the world.

Troy holds up his hands in mock defeat. “Just making sure.”

“It has to be perfect.”

“Do you have anything in mind?”

I shake my head. “I literally just realized I’m in love like an hour ago.”

Troy leans forward, elbows on his knees, looking serious. “Then I guess we better figure it out.”

I grin. “You’ll help?”

“You know I will.”

I clap my hands together, skin tingling. “Let’s do this.”

*

I have toget Ash out of the house. We picked a day when everyone is supposed to be out of the Alpha Theta Mu house, doing their own thing. Once Ash and I leave, all I have to do is shoot a quick text to Troy. He and Atlas will come over and set up the boyfriendposal Troy and I planned.

I open my bedroom door to head to Ash’s, but as soon as I pull it open, he’s there. “Oh. I was just coming to find you.”

“I was coming to find you,” Ash teases.

---