Chapter Text
Andrew and Michael. Bestest of friends. Yeah, just that. The two are famous in school as being an inseparable duo. A real case of opposites attract, but they truly do it best.
Andrew is as bright as the sun reflecting off of snow. He has many friends, he’s athletic, and he’s got some impressive looks.
Michael is like the moon on a summer night. He keeps to himself, doesn’t bother to constantly socialize, and is okay with doing his own thing.
Michael and Andrew do the whole “polar opposite dynamic” better than most people they know, not because they force themselves to constantly be different from each other, but because they combined their strengths and weaknesses.
Andrew helped Michael gain lots of friends and get better at sports. Michael helped Callum academically while helping him fix his people pleasing tendencies.
Together, the two could probably rule the world. Probably.
The two were always together, and really basked in each other’s presences. They had been friends since 7th grade, and senior year was no different, at least that’s what they thought.
Andrew always knew he was a bit differnet from the other kids. Not in a bad way, at least in his eyes. It was his biggest secret. However, he never let it stop him from being that ball of sunshine that everyone adores.
His parents made sure that this difference never dimmed his light. What’s so different about him? Well, he realized in 5th grade.
“Mom. Dad.” 10-year-old Andrew says, chewing on his dinner.
His mom sits across from him at the brown circular dining table. To his left is his dad, and to his right are his older brother and younger sister.
The family had all paused chewing and looked at Andrew in a slight shock. Andrew wasn’t one to suddenly be serious like this, especially 10-year-old Andrew.
“Yes, sweetheart?” His mom swallowed her food nervously and rushed her answer out of her mouth.
“Did something happen at school kiddo?” Andrew’s dad asked, taking a sip of water to hide his slight sweating.
“Uhm…I was reading this…thing. Online. And I…well…uhm…” Andrew was so nervous that his throat trembled as he spoke.
“Buddy, take a deep breath. What’s going on?” His dad put a hand on Andrew’s shoulder, patting it twice and then resting his hand.
“I’m gay.”
The table went silent. Andrew looked up from his lap. His siblings stopped eating, his sister looking a bit confused, but his brother had food practically falling out of his mouth.
Andrew’s mother softened her eyes and just looked at her boy. His father’s hand tensed a bit around the boy’s shoulder, and the father just stared.
“Oh honey…thank you for telling us.” Mrs. Lysander said, smiling.
“You’re not mad..?” Andrew asked softly, scared and nervous.
“Why would we be mad honey?”
“I’m not normal.”
“Like hell you aren’t.” Mr. Lysander said, his hand not leaving Andrew’s shoulder. “Who says being gay isn’t normal?”
The table was just quiet.
“Kiddo, you aren’t any less normal than others just because of who you love. We’re so proud of you for telling us.” Mr. Lysander then hugged his son.
Andrew was grateful to have such a supportive family, but despite that, he still never really told anyone about his sexual orientation. Not because he was ashamed or scared, but because he didn’t want to be treated differently.
Deep down he knew that he’d be treated as weird or different. People wouldn’t see him as Andrew, they’d see him as Andrew; The Gay Kid. So he never told anyone. He was content that way.
The only person he told outside of his family was Michael. Michael never let that change his relationship with Andrew.
Andrew being gay didn’t make Michael treat him differently. Michael knew that Andrew wouldn’t fall for him.
Andrew realized that he liked Michael in 10th grade.
Andrew had a small dating history. Small meaning one boyfriend. Andrew confessed to this other boy, Theo Leroy, after crushing on him for the whole first semester of freshman year. Theo, who was openly gay, accepted and the two started dating in secret.
The relationship lasted into sophomore year, where the two mutually broke up a month after their one year anniversary. Andrew’s reason for breaking up was, of course, Michael.
Michael is a pretty average person. His parents are divorced, he has an older sister, and the two of them live with their father during the school year.
He was quieter than most kids, until he met Andrew.
The two sat next to each other in history class, where they would talk and laugh and barely learn a thing. Andrew was nice to Michael. He liked that. Andrew never judged him for being himself. Michael never judged Andrew either.
Even in 8th grade, when Andrew came out to Michael. Michael still saw his best friend.
Michael’s dating history was complicated. Many girls were interested in him, but he never showed even the slightest bit of attention to them. He didn’t care much.
In his sophomore year of high school, he started to date a girl named Faith. They broke up after 2 months.
In junior year, he dated a girl from his summer camp, Julia. Michael and Julia lasted 9 months.
He didn’t have the best luck with love, but he didn’t care. At least he has Andrew. That’s what he’d think.
Andrew realized he liked Michael on a random day in 10th grade, when Michael went up to do a solo presentation for Spanish class and completely butchered it, despite the two practicing together for hours the night before.
Something about the way Michael laughed up there sparked a fire in Andrew.
At first, the crush was small. But over time, Andrew realized that he really REALLY liked Michael. And by senior year, he was just about ready to risk it all. Good thing he didn’t.
“Bro, you know Michael?”
“Which one?”
“Michael Cirillo. Y’know, Andrew and Michael?”
“Oh yeah, what about him?”
“I heard he’s dating Elise Kristoff”
Andrew’s heart dropped. What did he just over hear? He started to speed walk to class, and there it was. Elise Kristoff talking to Michael Cirillo at his desk.
“Andy!” Michael said, grinning and waving.
“…Morning.” Andrew replied slowly as he sat down in his seat.
“Hi Andrew!” Elise said, smiling.
“Hey Elise. Your hair looks nice today. New style?” Andrew replied, putting on a happy façade.
“Yeah! I’m glad someone appreciates it.” She laughed. God, her laugh is literally perfect.
“I’ll see you later Michael?” Elise asked as she turned towards her desk.
“Sure.” Michael said, letting out a small smile.
Elise walked back to her seat and sat down with her friends. Michael wasn’t paying much attention, he was playing a game on his phone. But Andrew’s eyes followed Elise all the way back to her seat.
“Michael, what was that?” Andrew asked, trying to sound like he was teasing.
“It’s nothing Andy.” Michael replied, the teasing clearly working its magic.
“That’s not nothing Mic. You smiled at her. That’s pretty rare for you.” Andrew said, grabbing Michael’s phone out of his hand.
“So? I smile at you everyday.” Michael shrugged and replied.
Andrew blushed a little, but not enough to notice. He turned his head to the desk and started to play the video game on Michael’s phone. His heart was beating so loud.
“Fine. I guess I’m interested in her.” Michael said, smiling at Andrew.
“What happened to waiting til college? Like we planned!?” Andrew said in a jokingly manner, but deep down he was really serious.
“I know, but I can’t help it” Michael laughed.
The rest of the day was basically hell. Elise followed around Michael everywhere. Andrew wasn’t even sure why he cared so much.
He never got this upset when it was Faith or Julia. So why was he so upset about Michael and Elise?
The rest of the week was no different. Andrew was really suffering. He couldn’t stand the two of them. At the end of the week, after school, Andrew complained to his siblings the whole night.
Elise is shorter than Andrew, but still pretty tall. She has long blonde hair and light hazel eyes. Her skin color is on the medium side, and her personality is like bubbly champagne.
In a way, she sort of looks like Andrew. Andrew is a couple inches shorter than Michael. Andrew’s hair is blonde as well, but it barely brushed past his neck. His eyes are hazel too, but darker. Personality wise, they weren’t very similar at all.
A month passed, and it seemed that Michael and Elise were going strong. However, Michael felt off.
He hadn’t talked to Andrew in what felt like ages. Whenever he’d try to talk to Andrew, the conversation would get cut short and Andy would run away. He wondered where his friend went.
Michael was confused, and honest a little hurt. His best friend was ignoring him for no apparent reason. Little did he know, the reason was clear as glass.
Andrew couldn’t stand to look at Michael’s face, or hear Michael’s voice, or even think about Michael. It felt like the disappointment was consuming Andrew.
To make matters worse, he started to hold an unreasonable grudge against Elise. He knew that he shouldn’t hate her. He knew that it wasn’t her fault things ended up this way. But he couldn’t help it.
He really started to hate her. He hated how perfect she was. He hated how she had a perfect smile. He hated how her hair was blonder than his, and how her hair was much longer than his.
He hated how kind she was. He hated how she tutored other students and helped grade schoolers learn to read. He hated how she was the captain of the girl’s field hockey team.
He hated how she’d wear a headband every damn day and how people would follow her around like dogs chasing meat.
But what he hated the most, was how perfect she was for Michael, and how he would never be as good enough for Michael than Selena.
Andrew would eat lunch with his friend, Ashton, in the art room everyday since he was no longer gonna sit with Michael.
During that time, he’d often zone out and think about Michael and how much he misses him.
”Dude! Wake up!” Ashton snapped his fingers infront of Andrew’s face.
”Woah! What?” Andrew jumped out of his seat.
“You’ve been like this all week bro. What’s going on with you?” Ashton asked.
”…I need some advice.” Andrew hesitated. He wasn’t sure if this was the right move, but he figured a third opinion might help relieve some of his stress and worries.
”Let me guess, you’re upset about Michael and Selena?”
”Yeah, was it that obvious?”
”Yes. Very obvious. You probably think about Selena and her long blonde hair and kind personality a lot, huh?”
”…yeah?”
”And thinking about how your best friend and her are together makes your chest hurt?”
”Yeah! Exactly!”
”Listen, I know it’s hard, and love is a crazy thing, but you gotta let go and be happy for them.”
”…You’re right…”
”Plus, stealing your best friend’s girlfriend is hella evil.” Ashton looked so smug, crossing his arms across his chest.
”Wait…what?” Andrew paused and stared in confusion.
”You like Selena, don’t you?” Ashton looked equally as confused.
”What!? No!” Andrew was in disbelief. Ashton was too.
“What? Then why are you so upset?”
”Because…because I like Michael.” Andrew shut his eyes and finally said it.
”Ohh…shit.”