As soon as school let out for the day, Tad met up with Connor and Ryan at the front of the school. He had told Amy about what he would be doing after school and that they could hang out tomorrow. Amy was, of course, perfectly fine with this arrangement. Once the three boys were ready, they began their relatively short walk to Ryan’s house.
“So you’re coming to help me research Weres?” Connor asked Tad. “Not that I have a problem with it or anything! I just expected you to be hanging out with your girlfriend.”
“Well, I wanted to at least give you a little bit more of my input before you make a decision,” Tad said.
“Yeah, that makes sense,” Connor said. “I suppose it’s smart to have more than one option in case something goes wrong with one option.”
After about a 20 minute walk, the three of them arrived at Ryan’s house. Ryan unlocked the front door before proceeding to usher Tad and Connor inside.
“My mom’s out shopping, so she won’t be home for a while,” Ryan said. “Anyways, feel free to take off your shoes and leave your bags against the wall. We can talk upstairs in my room.”
Tad and Connor both took off their shoes and backpacks and placed them neatly out of the way so no one would trip when they came inside. Connor made sure to grab the Were Guidebook from his backpack before the three of them went upstairs to Ryan’s room.
“Take a seat guys,” Ryan said, gesturing to the two beanbag chairs by his TV. He then proceeded to roll the chair from his desk over so he could sit while Tad and Connor took their seats.
“So Connor, do you have any new options as to what kind of Were you want to become?” Tad asked.
“Well, I have thought about it, and I think I’d rather be a smaller Were so I wouldn’t have to take my clothes off everytime I transform,” Connor responded. “So I don’t think I want to be a Werewolf...sorry Tad.”
“Hey, don’t apologize,” Tad said with a smile. “I’m not offended that you don’t want to be a Werewolf. Everyone has their own taste in Weres.”
Connor nodded in understanding. “Thanks Tad.”
“So if Werewolf is off the list, then what’s currently your first choice?”
“Werewildcats,” Connor said. “I don’t know why, but I’m finding them so...appealing…”
“I’m sure Ryan has told you about the...side effects...that come with a Werewildcat,” Tad said. “But that’s one of the reasons why I came to talk to you.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“Connor, Tad and I were talking about you at lunch,” Ryan said. “He was telling me how he thinks that you might be bi or gay.”
“Amy mentioned to me yesterday that she saw you checking out a lot of the guys in the class that the two of you had together,” Tad said. “I didn’t really believe her at first until I watched you do exactly that when we had a class together this morning. Yet what struck me as odd was the fact that there were multiple times that you insisted to me you weren’t gay.”
Connor stared at the two of them silently for a minute or two before he let out a sigh.
“I...I don’t know what’s happening,” he said quietly. “When I was younger, I liked women a lot, but when I was 14, I noticed my attraction towards guys started to grow. I thought it was just a phase that would only last a few months, but it’s been 3 years now, and that attraction towards men has just grown stronger. I still have some attraction towards women, but I find myself drawn more to men rather than women…”
The three of them were silent for a few minutes. Tad and Ryan didn’t say a word, as they were too busy processing what Connor had just told them. After a few more minutes, Tad spoke up.
“I...I really don’t know what to say Connor,” he said. “I wish I could say “Hey, I’ve been there before”, but I never have. The only thing I can really do for you is give you my support.”
“Thanks…” Connor said. “But...but why don’t I know what gender I like? Why does everyone else our age get to know and I don’t?!”
Tad looked to Ryan, hoping that he would have an answer, or something close to one at the very least.
“Well,” Ryan started. “While it is kind of rare, some people have a harder time figuring out who they’re sexually attracted to. For some people, like myself and Tad, it just comes naturally. Maybe for people who repress their emotions, it just...takes longer?”
“I guess that makes a little sense…” Connor admitted. “I mean, I haven’t really told anyone about this before. I’ve just gone through it by myself.”
“Well, you know that you can always talk to us about this stuff,” Ryan said.
“Yeah,” Tad said. “Ryan and I are here to help you.”
Connor gave his two friends a small smile.
“Thanks guys.”