Page 116 of Against The Boards

The old man chuckled. “Told you.”

“You were right. I just needed to show her who I was.”

“I’m so happy for you, mijo. I can’t wait to meet her.”

I smiled to myself at that. “She’d love you.”

Eventually, I hung up with my family. They had always been supportive, and even though I was estranged from my parents, I knew my grandparents would always be supportive of what I did. It was nice to have them, to have a family that cared about you.

I laid back on my bed and scrolled through my phone. I hadn’t seen any texts from Rox today, but I figured she was busy unpacking the rest of her boxes. I should go help her finish up. I scrolled through Instagram and landed on a photo TJ had posted of him and Rox drinking beers and clinking glasses. His caption read, ‘When you’re a twin, you’re never alone because you have a built-in best friend…or a colossal pain in your ass.’

I dropped the phone on the bed beside me and closed my eyes in contentment. I was so tired, I ended up passing out for a few hours.

When I woke up, I heard the front door open and the sound of TJ’s hyena-like laughter. I glanced up when I saw Rox standing in the doorway of my bedroom.

“Tired?” she asked as she walked across the room and over to the bed.

“C’mere you,” I said and smiled when she slipped into the bed beside me and curled around my side. I wrapped my arm around her back and hugged her. “I missed you.”

She laughed into my chest. “Oh no, what did I do to you? It’s only been a few hours.”

I kissed the top of her head. “Still missed you.”

She glanced up at me. “Missed you too,” she admitted.

“Ew, get a room!” TJ teased as he passed my room and went into his own.

Rox gave him the finger.

“You think he’ll get over it?” I asked.

She nodded. “He’s just teasing you.”

“Dick.”

She laughed. “Totally! Hey, guess what?”

“What, angel?”

“I talked to my mom today.”

She was biting her lip, so I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to react. “That’s...good?”

She nodded. “I think so. She apologized for her reaction. She still doesn’t understand bisexuality, but she wants to repair our relationship.”

I squeezed her towards me. “Hey, that’s great!”

She sighed.

“Not great?” I asked and furrowed my brow in confusion.

She shook her head. “No, it’s weird, but if my parents want to make up for everything, I’m willing to forgive them. All I ever wanted was for them to accept me.”

I pulled her wrist to my lips and kissed her maple leaf tattoo. “I accept you. All of you, always.”

“I love you,” she said.

I leaned my forehead against hers. “I love you too.”