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Elizabeth rocked back and forth on her bed, hugging her knees to her chest. It was a rainy day outside, like most other days. She hated the rain. It didn't let her see her friends, and it hurt on her arms, so badly.
But she didn't want to think about that. She didn't want to think about what she'd done to herself, or what she'd tried to do. Or how she'd roped Charlie into all this.
But her mind did circle back to Charlie. Her pretty, beautiful Charlie.
Elizabeth wasn't quite sure what they were. She was pretty sure they were more than just friends—they had to be. Were they…girlfriends? That couldn't be, right? Or…could it? What if it was?
Dear God, what if it was? Elizabeth hadn't thought this through at all. She was barely holding herself together, how could she be a good girlfriend at all? What if she messed up?
She needed to confide in someone. Someone who knew what they were doing, someone she could actually get advice from.
And suddenly, the best (or worst) idea popped into Elizabeth's head.
Her brother, Michael Afton.
Michael was…a jerk, most of the time. That's how most people saw him, and that's how Elizabeth usually thought of him as well. But the truth was, she knew how Michael really was. Deep down, he cared. About his family, especially his siblings.
Elizabeth thought he blamed himself over a lot of things that weren't his fault, and that was probably a trait she inherited, too. Maybe that's why he was always so protective over her and Dave. He didn't want them to turn out like him. So, he seemed like someone Elizabeth could turn to.
Alternatively, this could go really, really badly. What if he didn't accept her? What if he told her father? If she lost her own brother's trust…she honestly didn't know what she would do.
But in the end, she pushed those doubts out of her mind, for her own sake. She needed to do something. So, she decided to take that risk.
Elizabeth steadied herself, and knocked on the door to Michael's room.
"Come in," she heard him groan.
She opened the door, and walked inside. The atmosphere was different from how it usually was when she was around Michael, it was…tense. Or, maybe she was just projecting that she was going to tell her brother possibly earth-shattering news.
"Hey, Mikey…" she said in a small voice, closing the door behind her. "Can we…talk?"
Michael looked at her with a serious expression, turning his TV off. "Yeah, of course."
Elizabeth sat on the bed, across from him.
"I need to tell you something…" she said softly.
"…okay…"
"But you can't tell anyone."
"Okay."
"You promise?"
"Yes, Elizabeth, I promise."
Elizabeth sighed, looking off, trying to avoid looking at him directly.
"Michael, I…"
He looked at her with a worried look. She never called him 'Michael'. Whatever this was, it was certainly serious.
"I don't like boys."
The silence in the room after Elizabeth's whispered words was deafening. Michael looked at his sister with a puzzled expression, trying to process what she had just said.
"You're lesbian?"
Elizabeth nodded. Honestly, she wasn't too sure about what most of the labels meant. She just assumed Michael was right, for whatever reason.
"Oh, shit. That's…that's great, Liz."
"Huh?"
"That's amazing. I'm…I'm happy to hear that. That you could trust me with that."
Elizabeth smiled in relief.
"You weren't…expecting me to be upset, were you?"
"Uh, no…I don't know…Maybe.."
"Goodness, Elizabeth, I would never! Who do you think I am?" He laughed.
Michael looked off into the distance for a second, pondering.
"Let me guess," he said, "you and Charlie…?"
Elizabeth scoffed, looking off to the side with a flustered look on her face.
Michael laughed. "I knew it! My, it's obvious! You two are head over heels for each other!"
"No we're not," she responded quietly.
"Sure you're not!"
"Well…" Michael sighed, "you know, Liz, I've been with a boy before."
Elizabeth looked at her brother in surprise. "What?!"
"Yes, yes. Shocking, isn't it?"
"Seriously?!"
"Seriously."
Elizabeth looked at him in confusion. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't have a reason to? Now I do."
"When was this?"
"High school. We just, well…had a bit of a fling, if you will. Man, he was fun…"
Elizabeth let out a small laugh.
"Shut up." He continued, "anyways…I haven't talked to him in a while. Wonder how Jeremy's doing these days…"
"Jeremy?"
"Yes…you have a friend named that too, don't you? Strange coincidence…"
"W-well, anyways," Elizabeth said, still trying to assimilate the revelation that Michael seemingly wasn't straight either.
"Me and…me and Charlotte…I feel like I don't know what I'm doing. I'm scared I'll do something wrong."
"Well, that is how it tends to go," Michael replied, nonchalantly. "You can't really help it, I've been there too. But if she loves you and you love her, you'll likely be fine."
"Okay…"
"And Elizabeth?"
"Yes?"
"Don't let anyone ever bring you down because of who you are, okay? Those idiots are simply not worth your time." Michael said, seriously.
Elizabeth smiled genuinely.
"Thank you, Mikey."