Ah, if only my entire life were so very simple. Angel and I were sitting there, eating cold pad thai and holding hands, when Ellis decided to have their dramatic moment of interruption. They burst through the door, arms spread wide as if to break into jazz hands any minute, but quickly stopped when they saw Angel and I. Ellis smiled.

“Finally!”

“...What?”

Ellis smirked. "Angel never shut up about you, and now he got what he wanted."

I'm not going to lie, I must've looked like a beet I blushed so much. I hid my face in my shoulder, but because it was next to Angel's it was more like I was hiding behind him. Angel took it well though, smiling and laughing while shooing Ellis out of the room. When they left, I picked my head up, and Angel turned to face me. "Was that okay? Them knowing about us?" Whatever 'us' is...

"Well, everyone kind of already knows I'm gay, so what's the harm?" I said it as if I didn't care, but my thoughts proved otherwise. I'm generally an anxious person, but for some reason, even this small encounter with someone I didn't think would hurt me, scared me more than it should have. I guess I still sometimes think I'm wrong or disgusting, even if no one is actively telling me that right now. Angel took my other hand with his, and squeezed tightly.

"I know that's not true. And I also know that you're freaking out. Tell me how I can help."

My breath came in short gasps and my eyes were watering profusely. I pulled my knees into my chest, thinking that if I became smaller, it would help somehow. Why was I like this? Why couldn't I just be normal? Fuckup fuckup fuckup fuckup fuckup fucku-

"Mawce. Look at me. It's going to be okay. I want to help, okay?"

I couldn't manage to turn my body, but I tried my best to look at him. Tears slid down the bridge of my nose, and my glasses weren't sitting properly. Angel reached out, took my glasses off, and brushed the edge of my face with his fingers. He has the hands of a pianist. His hands cupped my cheeks, as if holding my head in its place atop my neck. I still couldn't breathe, but even this gentle touch calmed me down enough that I stopped thinking. Which, in my case, is usually a good thing.

He really did live up to his name. Light from the crack under the door illuminated the edges of his hair, turning it a bright, fiery red that haloed around his head. His eyes were wet, and the tears amplified the deep amber color of his irises. God, he was beautiful. My hands were still shaking, wrapped around my knees, but this was so much better than if he weren't there.

Angels' hands stayed on my face, and he moved closer. "I'm proud of you." I just nodded. After a while, he pulled me into a hug that enveloped my entire sense of being. He was warm, and soft, and comforting. When I could breathe normally, I pulled away.

Just enough for our noses to touch, and I kissed him. Angel's hands flew to tangle themselves in my messy hair, and mine to lightly touch his waist. I could feel the heat of his skin under my lips, and my mind spun. Angel moved delicately, like a dancer, while my gut filled with hordes of butterflies, desperate to escape through my throat. His mouth was warm on mine, and I could feel the increasingly frantic sound of his heart.

This is what he meant when he said boys kissing boys was beautiful.