It happened sooner than I thought.
I’d convinced myself we still had time—days, maybe even weeks—before the gossip reached our parents. But rumors don’t respect boundaries, and in our house, secrets had a way of surfacing at the worst possible moments.
The breaking point came on a Saturday evening. Jason and I had been sent to the store to pick up snacks for family movie night. By the time we returned, the house was too quiet. Too tense.
We walked into the living room to find Mom and his dad waiting for us. Arms crossed. Expressions unreadable.
The air turned heavy instantly.
“Sit,” Mom said.
Jason didn’t flinch. He strolled to the couch, dropping the grocery bag onto the table, then leaned back like this was just another ordinary conversation. I, on the other hand, froze in the door
