“Enough!”roars a voice from the baying mob.
The figure shuffles forward, and my jaw drops.
It’s my dad.
“These two young men ’ave given ’yer everything.Even when ’yer tried to turn ’yer back on ’em.A few weeks ago, my son—my very talented and all-around amazing son, Kyle—came out to me.I told him to get out.Told him I never wanted to see ’im again.Do you know what he told me?He told me he will still love me.”
He stands up on the stage, grabs my hand, and I see the tears in his eyes.They’re matching my own.“Son, I am so sorry.I hope ’yer can forgive me.”I smile at him and grip his hand tightly before letting go.
He turns back to the media and continues, “That is the difference between ’im and ’yer lot.Kyle, and I’m sure AJ too, gives their all.Leave it all on the line.They don’t care what ’yer write about them in the papers.What you say about them on TV.All they care about is making ’yer ’appy.I think I speak for everyone when I say they've done that.”
“You cannot expect anyone to be on board with this.It’s against …it’s against everything.”one woman shouts back.
My dad smiles at the woman, and my heart sinks.Is this a bait and switch?Has he been leading us on, pretending?I can’t cope.I’ve only just got my dad back.
“Follow me,” he says.
We all look at each other.My dad doesn’t wait for anyone, he strides out the media room, and I grab AJ’s hand and follow him, with a trail of people behind us.
“Where are you going, Dad?”I call after him.For an older guy, he can shift.We follow him around corridors and winding hallways until we are outside the stadium.
There must be thousands of people, and in the center of them is my mum with a banner that reads:
Congratulations Kyle and AJ!History Beckons!We are all with you!
The sign is adorned with rainbows and footballs.The crowd catch sight of us, and they scream with delight.They run over to us, phones in hand and take snaps of us to put on social media.I can feel my phone lighting up in my pocket.I manage to break free from the crowd, AJ’s hand still in my own, and make my way to Mum.
“What is all this?”I ask.
“Support,” she says with tears in her eyes.
“Th-thank you,” AJ says in a shaky breath.
“Don’t thank me, it was all Kyle’s father.Once I got through to ’im, he became determined to make things right.He even went on social media to read all sorts of stories.”
“I wanted to be on the right side of ’istory,” Dad says from my side.I hug him tightly and leave tear streaks on his shoulder.
“Kyle!AJ!Kyle!AJ!”the gathered crowd chant.Somehow, there’s even more now.They take pictures of us, tell us how brave we are.Some are going “live” on Insta, and I pop into frame and smile.I pull AJ into the shot and kiss him on the lips.The surrounding crowd cheers in delight, and my heart soars.He kisses me back, and there’s more cheers.
We hold each other, surrounded by love and support.My anchor.My boyfriend.My soulmate.He holds me tight, and I know with him by my side we can achieve anything.
“Ready to change the world, together?”I whisper in his ear.
His big brown eyes look into mine, and he pulls me into a deep and searing kiss.
“I can’t wait.”
