Page 6 of Bend Him, Break Him
“They claim it’s family name traditions, but like, it would’ve been less gay if they’d named me after my grandmothers.”
“And this is Carlos,” Jazz said, still laughing at Will’s name origins but trying to usher through the meet and greet, likely wanting Colton to have an idea of who’s who before the rest of the members arrived.
“Nice to see you again.” Carlos extended a hand, which Colton shook.
Carlos was the biggest person here, built like a linebacker, but with a face that made him look like he still belonged in high school. The wispy mustache and goatee helped a bit, but he still looked very young. Carlos was trans masc and used he/they pronouns based on the signature from his most recent email invitation to GSA.
“Hope you had a chance to review the questions,” Carlos said. “We’ll try to keep the random musings to a minimum, but some folks will definitely have questions they didn’t submit prior.”
“Not a problem.” Colton smiled, fake and bright like he’d used a thousand times before during pre- and post-game interviews.
“Gotta love our event strategist.” Jazz squeezed Carlos’ shoulders.
“And web coordinator,” Carlos added. “And pretty much everything around here the rest of these slackers aren’t clever enough to handle.”
That got a lot of offended “hey!” from the group until a small laughter broke out.
Colton could almost see himself getting lost in this group, in this carefree dynamic. Baseball used to be like that for him until his junior year. Then it turned into a messy match of hiding who he was and staying one step ahead of his friends, his teammates, his competition. College ended up being more of the same, only once he was out, it turned into careful steps to remain on top while not appearing like he wanted to top any of his teammates. An easy enough thing since there were plenty of hot guys and gals elsewhere, but it didn’t help when the rumor mill rotated, and he had to downplay his sexuality so others would be comfortable. So much of his time was spent making himself smaller so others felt content.
Colton spent more time putting out fires than he did enjoying the game he wanted to make his life. Here, though, in this silly room with this silly group, he wondered why he didn’t carve out a bit more time for the GSA Club. In the few minutes since he’d arrived, he already felt he could breathe easy.
“Are we done rolling out the red carpet?” Isaac practically snarled, his icy stare shooting daggers at Colton and reminding the jock why the GSA Club wouldn’t work as a sanctuary for him to relax.
This place, this organization, belonged to Isaac, and Colton wouldn’t push to take it from him. He didn’t deserve it; he knew that.
“And here is our surly secretary.” Carlos gestured to Isaac, who stayed seated and simply scowled. “He’s an acquired taste.”
“Oh, I know,” Colton blurted before he realized, and suddenly, everyone’s eyes fell onto him.
“That’s right,” Jazz said. “You’re from the same hometown, right? So wild.”
“Wait, really?” Mina asked wide-eyed. “I thought y’all just had class together.”
They didn’t have any classes together since Colton had failed most of his freshman year and was spending his second year retaking the basics, while Isaac had graduated a year early from high school, which put him in his third year of college courses.
“No, they’re from… Oh, what’s the name?” Jazz snapped her fingers as if the click would trigger her memory. “It’s funny and fucked up and flipping ironic. What is it?”
“Straight Arrow,” Colton and Isaac said nearly in unison, even their beleaguered sigh for the horrible town name.
Everyone burst into laughter.
“So, you both left the town of hetero roadmaps,” Mina said while wheezing, “so you could attend the literal university of clit, and then both decided to be into guys instead?”
“I was into guys while I lived in Shitstain Arrow,” Isaac hissed, cutting his gaze to Colton.
“And I’m planning on majoring in clit with a minor in dudes,” Colton said with a chuckle to lighten the mood again.
While the name rang through with the same humor as their college, Colton and Isaac both understood there was no joy to be found in Straight Arrow. A tiny conservative town with residents who had enough money to make the world a better place, but instead, they banded together to isolate themselves and uphold values meant to diminish anyone who dared to be different. Colton and Isaac attended a private school that cost more a semester than a Clinton University degree. Each of them should’ve been enrolled at an Ivy League, following their family’s designated path, but they cut their strings instead.
Well, Isaac had cut his if the rumors were true. Supposedly, he’d surrendered his trust fund and forged his own path. Coltonhadn’t been nearly as bold. He kept his money, his family, his life for the most part, but he’d been forced to make certain sacrifices to follow his dream. He couldn’t fathom how Isaac walked away from his family without so much as glancing back once. Not for his parents. Not for his siblings. Not for anyone or anything in the town of Straight Arrow.
Okay, Colton had some ideas. He knew what he did played a role in Isaac’s vanishing act. He knew his cruelty made it that much easier for Isaac to sever the bonds of family and abandon his life in Straight Arrow.
“We’re hoping you’ll go over your coming out story again,” Carlos said, steering the discussion back to the meeting ahead. “I’m sure you’re a little tired of discussing it again and again, but I was thinking maybe you could elaborate less on when you came out and more on how life is settling in since you took this bold step.”
“Bold step?” Colton knew the answer but still found himself asking.
Carlos politely explained—the same way everyone did—how his role as a star athlete put him in a unique position. Basically, everyone wanted to believe anyone could be themselves and whoever they wanted and that the journey would be easy.
