Escaping Closets.

CHAPTER TOO

Uncharted Roads

Leo had always known he was different. Growing up in a small town where people whispered more than they spoke, he learned to keep parts of himself hidden. His mother would ruffle his hair and joke, “You’ll break hearts one day, kid.” His father, a man of few words, only ever said, “Just make sure you choose the right girl.”

But Leo wasn’t sure there was a “right girl.” Or rather, he wasn’t sure there wasn’t also a “right boy.”

His first crush was Amelia, the girl who sat next to him in art class, always tucking stray strands of hair behind her ear. She smelled like lavender and sketched the world the way he wished he could see it. But at the same time, there was Ryan—Leo’s best friend since childhood. Ryan, with his easy smile and reckless laughter, who always made Leo’s heart race when their shoulders brushed.

It wasn’t until high school that Leo started putting a name to what he felt. When he finally did, it felt like a puzzle piece clicking into place—bisexual. The word was both a relief and a burden.

At seventeen, he kissed Amelia at a party. It was soft, sweet, and everything he imagined a first kiss should be. But later that year, he kissed Ryan, too—an impulsive moment after a late-night swim. That kiss was fire, heat, and confusion.

Leo didn’t know who he was supposed to be.

People wanted him to choose. When he was with Amelia, he heard, “Oh, so you’re straight?” When rumors about Ryan surfaced, it was, “Wait, are you gay?” No one seemed to understand that he could be both.

College was a fresh start. In the city, anonymity was freedom, and no one cared who he loved. He dated boys, dated girls, and for the first time, didn’t feel like he had to justify himself.

It wasn’t easy, though. There were still moments of doubt, still people who dismissed him. “It’s just a phase,” one guy told him. “You’re just confused.”

But Leo knew better. He wasn’t confused—he was just himself.

Years later, as he walked through a park hand in hand with his boyfriend, Max, he spotted Amelia sitting on a bench with her fiancée. Their eyes met, and she smiled. A knowing, warm smile.

Leo smiled back.

He had spent years questioning where he fit, but now, he realized—he never had to fit anywhere. He was already whole.

Liam had always known he was different, but it took years for him to find the words to describe it. Growing up in a small town where everyone seemed to fit into neat categories, he struggled to understand why his heart raced both for the captain of the soccer team and the girl who sat next to him in history class. It was confusing at first, a puzzle with missing pieces, but as he grew older, the picture became clearer—he was bisexual.

His best friend, Jake, was the first person he told. One summer night, sitting on Jake’s back porch with the crickets humming a soft melody, Liam found the courage to say the words out loud. “I think I like both guys and girls.” He expected awkwardness, maybe even judgment, but instead, Jake just nodded and took a sip of his soda. “That’s cool, man. Doesn’t change anything.” The relief that washed over Liam was immense.

But not everyone was as understanding. When he told his parents, his mother gave him a tight smile and said, “It’s probably just a phase.” His father barely acknowledged it, choosing instead to focus on Liam’s grades and future plans. At school, some kids whispered behind his back, and a few of his so-called friends started pulling away. It hurt, but Liam refused to let their ignorance define him.

Then there was Alex, the new kid in school. With a confident smirk and a rebellious streak, Alex was everything Liam wasn’t—bold, unapologetic, and sure of himself. They became friends first, bonding over their shared love of music and late-night talks about life. As the months passed, friendship turned into something more, something neither of them could ignore. The first time Alex kissed him, it was electric, a spark that set Liam’s world ablaze.

Dating wasn’t easy. They faced stares in the hallways, cruel jokes muttered under people’s breath. But for every sneer, there was also support—Jake standing by his side, his sister telling him she was proud, and even some unexpected allies in teachers and classmates who believed in love, no matter what form it took.

Liam’s journey wasn’t without struggle, but through it all, he learned to embrace who he was. He wasn’t just