As the weeks went by Zac and Ben continued to date, and kept it at just that�dating. They made out when they had the chance but neither of them wanted to push things too far too fast, considering this was Zac's first gay relationship and he was still in the closet. They agreed to tone down the time they spent obviously together while with their friends and in turn spent more time alone together.
"You know it's our anniversary tomorrow," Ben said to Zac as they lay together on Zac's bed. Zac had his hand in Ben's and they were quietly talking. Although there was nobody else home, Zac still had the door locked just in case he didn't hear somebody come home.
"Already?" Zac asked. "Wow, it doesn't seem like it's been a month already."
"You're right, it doesn't," Ben said. "We'll have to do something special."
"Yeah�"
"I know. I'll make you dinner."
"You?" Zac asked, raising an eyebrow. "You make dinner? I don't know, honey, I kind of like your apartment without scorch marks." Ben playfully pushed him.
"Shut up! I'm a good cook."
"I'm sure you are," Zac said. "But I'll be there so I can make sure nothing blows up." Ben smiled. "Have you been practicing that song I taught you?"
"Yeah."
"Can I hear it?"
"Okay." Ben got off the bed and grabbed the acoustic guitar that was on a stand across the room. Over the past month, when they weren't making out, Zac managed to teach Ben what he knew about the guitar. Ben was a natural. He was almost perfect at playing the song Zac had taught him, which meant he'd be able to ace his exam once the semester was over.
Ben began to play and Zac watched his hands. Ben was still at the point where he had to look at his hands throughout most of the song, but at least now he knew what chords he was playing and where they all were. "Missed a change," Zac said.
"I know," Ben said as he continued to play. If Zac hadn't taught him the song, he wouldn't have even noticed. Ben was very good at covering his mistakes. That was usually a big problem among people learning anything, they would dwell on their mistakes and want to start over, but Ben kept going as if that was the way the song was supposed to be played. "When am I�?"
"No talking," Zac said, putting his hand up. Ben rolled his eyes and kept playing. When he finished Zac nodded. "Not bad, Ben. All right, what were you asking?"
"When am I going to get to play the electric guitar? I told you that's what I wanted to play."
"It's better that you learn on an acoustic," Zac said. "Once you master this, and you almost have, then you can play anything. The electric guitar is the pussy way out." Ben raised an eyebrow.
"How so?"
"Although some people think the electric sounds better, it's easier to play because you just have to lightly touch the strings while with the acoustic you have to build your finger strength and really learn to press down," Zac explained. "But if you really want to learn the electric I'll teach you. I just don't necessarily care for it myself. If you keep playing that then you'll be amazing by the time the semester is over. You could probably take the exam now and get an A."
"As if there was ever any doubt in that," Ben said. Ben was a smart guy and Zac knew that just by spending time with him. They often had intellectual conversations about politics and both pre-registered to be democrats once they turned eighteen in less than two months. Ben was the kind of kid who got straight A's in school without trying and Zac was the kind of kid who, if he did his homework, would be the same way.
The door opened and Diana walked in. Zac was sure he'd locked the door but was happy that she hadn't walked in five minutes before when Zac and Ben were making out on the bed. She obviously didn't know Ben was up here and smiled. "Hello Ben," she said to him.
"Hi Mrs. Hanson."
"How are you doing with that?" she asked, gesturing to the guitar that he was still holding.
"He's doing great, Ma," Zac said. "He's a natural."
"That's always good." She turned to Zac. "Zac, have you started packing, yet?" Zac's smile faded.
"Why? We're not leaving until Saturday!" Zac said.
"Zac, it's Tuesday. You're busy all week with school. I told you to pack last weekend but you were gone nearly the whole time so, of course, you didn't. Make sure you do that. Let me know if you need anything." Diana smiled to Ben and left, closing the door behind her.
"When were you planning on telling me you were leaving?" Ben asked, fiddling with the strings on the guitar.
"I was going to," Zac said, sighing. "I just don't want to go. It's only for two weeks, but still�"
"Two weeks?" Ben asked. Zac nodded. "That's, like, half of our relationship!"
"I know, but you knew this was going to happen."
"Yeah, I knew," Ben said. "That doesn't make me like it any more." He got up and put the guitar away before walking back to the bed where Zac was sitting. "I don't want you to go."
"I don't want to go either but I have to. It's my job. It's only for two weeks and then I'll be back!"
"Yeah, but for how long?" Ben asked. He plopped down next to Zac on the bed.
"Why does everything always have to be about time with you?" Ben gave him a look. "Two days."
"Two days! Then how long are you going to be gone?"
"I don't know! We're going back into the studio. It could be a while."
"A while?"
"Can we talk about this later honey, like, when I come back?" Zac asked. "Please? This is hard enough on me as it is." Ben sighed.
"I know you've got your career and I don't want you to feel like you don't want to do what you love doing, so don't, all right?" he asked. "Plus if you stopped making music I would so have to kill you." Zac smiled.
"I'm going to miss you."
"Hey, you're not leaving until Saturday," Ben said. "We'll worry about that when then." Zac kissed him and pushed him down on the bed. Ben's hand ran down his back to his ass and Zac laughed a little bit as he continued to kiss him.
"Hey, Zac, I�Oh my God!" Zac and Ben immediately separated as Taylor covered his eyes and turned away. "Oh my God, oh my God please tell me that is a gross misunderstanding."
"Ben, maybe you should leave," Zac said. Ben nodded and ran out of the room quickly, shutting the door behind him. Taylor still had his hands over his eyes, saying "Oh my God."
"Taylor, stop it."
"What the hell are you doing, Zac?" Taylor yelled, dropping his hands. "What the hell is this? Ben is a guy!!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought he was a girl! Oh, man, then this whole past month has been one big lie!" Zac cynically spat.
"Past month? How long have you�have you�been like this?"
"Gay?"
"Don't say that!"
"Taylor," Zac said, shaking his head, "I'm gay."
"Oh my God." Taylor put his hands over his eyes again and sat down. "For how long?"
"Well, I know I've always been this way, but I've only been out a month."
"And Ben�"
"Ben is my boyfriend."
"Boyfriend?" Taylor asked, looking up at him. Zac nodded. Taylor shook his head in disbelief.
"Listen, Taylor," Zac said, kneeling down in front of his brother, "I'm still the same person! I'm still Zac, only I like guys." Taylor continued to look away. "I'm still your brother."
"Are you�seriously this way?" Zac nodded. "And Ben really is your boyfriend?" Zac nodded him again. "Are you in love with him?"
"God, no, we've only been going out a month," Zac said. "I mean I care about him a lot but nothing like that."
"I�need to go for a drive or something," Taylor said, getting up.
"Taylor?" Taylor turned around and looked back at Zac. "You can't tell anyone about this." Zac stood up. "I'm not ready yet to tell people."
"What, are you in the closet or something?"
"If you want to call it that, then yeah. I am. Listen, Mom thinks it's completely wrong and she'll disown me if she finds out. None of my friends know�it's just you. Please don't say anything." Taylor sighed. "Please?"
"All right, Zac. But you owe me one." Taylor opened the door. "And for God's sake make sure you lock your door next time." Taylor left and Zac collapsed into a chair, shaking his head.
"So how'd he take it?" Ben asked the next day at his apartment. For their one-month anniversary they were at Ben's apartment and Ben was making dinner, Zac keeping a close watch on the food to make sure Ben didn't burn anything. To be honest, Zac had no idea if Ben could cook or not, and for all he knew Ben could be really good, however Zac wasn't so sure.
"Well, there was a lot of disbelief, but by the end he was better with it. I haven't seen him since but I'm sure after he comes to terms with it then it'll be okay." Ben nodded.
"Yeah."
"You know, as embarrassing as that was," Zac said, "I'm kind of glad he found out. It feels better knowing somebody knows."
"I felt the same way. Do you think you're ready to tell other people now?" Zac shook his head.
"Not right now. Maybe when I get back from LA," he said. "I kind of want to tell my parents first but also I'm not entirely sure I ever want to do that."
"Well come on, Zac, you have to tell your parents."
"It was different for you, Ben. Your mother outed you, you didn't come out to her. My parents think it's the most sacrilegious, evil, wrong thing in the world and they don't even want me hanging out with other gay people because it'll 'put ideas into my head.' " Zac got up and stood next to Ben, sliding an arm around his waist. Ben was stirring a marinara sauce. "Did you make this or is this from a jar?"
"Does it matter?" Ben asked, looking over at him.
"No, not really. I'll be able to tell, though."
"No you won't," Ben said, shaking his head. Zac nodded. "Fine, taste it." He held out a wooden spoonful and Zac tasted it. "What is it?"
"Hmm�" Zac said. "It's Ragu Traditional, but you added some oregano. You need more."
"You are good."
"I'm the best. I know my sauces." Ben kissed him.
"Mmm, saucy." Zac rolled his eyes. "Go sit down. You're distracting me. I might set the place on fire."
They sat down about a half hour later to eat. Ben turned out to be a good cook, but Zac kept to himself that he would have been able to make it better. This was Ben's treat to him. Ben had turned on an (burned) acoustic CD of Tonic's music. "Oh my God, I love Tonic!" Zac said.
"I knew you would," Ben said. "So what exactly are you going to be doing in LA?"
"Preliminary stuff," Zac explained. "We're just kind of setting up our direction for this album, doing a lot of writing, stuff like that." Ben nodded. "I wish I didn't have to go. I'm really going to miss you."
"Don't start," Ben said. "I�" The phone rang. "Dammit, always during dinner." Ben got up and answered the phone. "Hello? Oh, hi Jayden. What's up?" Ben picked at his food. "No, I'm in the middle of dinner. No you can't come over! Jayden, I'm kind of in the middle of a date here�no you can't come over! What? Where are you?" Ben looked over at Zac. "No! Hold on." He put his hand over the speaker. "They're downstairs. All of them."
"It's a Wednesday! Why the hell are they here?" Ben shrugged.
"I have no idea." He put the phone back to his ear. "Jayden, this really isn't a good time. We're in the middle of a date and�no you can't meet him! Jayden!"
"Ben," Zac said. Ben put his hand over the speaker again.
"What, babe?"
"Have them come upstairs." Ben gave him a skeptical look.
"Zac, are you sure?" Zac nodded. "All right. I'm here with you." Ben reached across the table and took Zac's hand then put the phone back up to his ear. "All right, Jayden, you guys can all come up here and meet him BUT you cannot freak out. Yes, you know him. I'll leave the door open for you."
"Door's already open, buddy," Jayden said, walking in. Jayden, Carter and Nix walked in and stopped immediately upon seeing Zac there. "I thought you said you were on a date."
"We are on a date," Zac said.
"What?" Jayden asked. "I mean�what? Zac? Are you�are you gay?" Zac nodded. "Holy shit. Ben, you turned him! I knew this was going to happen!"
"Ben didn't turn me!" Zac said, getting up. "He just made me realize it."
"I need to sit down," Jayden said. Carter and Nix sat him down on the couch. Zac and Ben left the dinner table and sat on the sofa adjacent to Jayden, holding hands. "When did this happen?"
"A month ago," Zac explained. "This is actually our anniversary dinner that you barged in on."
"Oh shit, man!" Jayden explained. "Shit!" Zac looked over at Carter and Nix, who weren't saying anything.
"Guys?" Zac asked. "Are you okay?"
"No," Carter said. "You're gay!"
"So? Ben's gay! None of you seem to have a problem with that!"
"But that's Ben! That's who he is!" Jayden interrupted. "You're not like that. You're Zac. We go out to pick up chicks together. We spent an hour discussing how awesome Tonya Alden's tits are! You dated lots of girls. You dated Bronwyn!"
"But I wasn't happy that way, Jayden! I wasn't happy until I met Ben and I realized who I really am." Jayden shook his head and didn't say anything more. Zac looked at Carter who was the same way, and then at Nix. "Nix, you've been awfully quiet."
"That's because I already knew." Everyone turned to look at him. "Well I didn't know know but I kind of figured it out. Why else would you be spending so much time with Ben? Why else did you both refuse to introduce us to your boyfriend, or girlfriend, or whatever, when in any other situation you would have done it in a heartbeat? Since then you two have always been together, you've always treated each other differently than the rest of us�it was kind of obvious."
"No it wasn't!" Jayden said.
"But doesn't it make sense?" Nix asked. "I mean, how come we didn't meet Brenda? Because Brenda was Ben. Ben wouldn't even tell us the name of his new boyfriend but he introduced us to Todd, the massive ass, when he wasn't even serious about him!"
"It does make sense," Carter said.
"I just can't believe this," Jayden said. "Zac, when you broke up with Bronwyn, and you said you had someone else�"
"It was Ben," Zac said, looking over at Ben, who smiled supportively at him.
"Does she know?" Zac looked back over at Jayden and shook his head.
"No. Before yesterday nobody knew."
"Who found out yesterday?" Jayden asked.
"Taylor. He kind of walked in on us�"
"Okay, I don't want to hear anymore," Jayden said, putting his hands over his ears. Zac sighed and sat back, looking across from him at Carter and Nix. They both seemed to be fine with it now, but that was just because Nix was okay with it. Whatever Nix accepted Carter accepted too, and vice versa. "I'm leaving." Jayden got up and left without saying anything else. Carter followed after him with a "goodbye" to Ben and Zac.
"He'll come around," Nix said. "Don't worry about him. Congratulations."
"Thanks, Nix," Zac said.
"No problem. I'll see you guys later." Nix got up and left. When the door closed Zac sighed again and stood up.
"Well that was partly disastrous," Zac said. Ben got up.
"Oh, honey, it was fine. Like Nix said, Jayden will come around. Carter and Nix are happy for us." Zac turned to face Ben.
"Jayden's my best friend, Ben."
"I know he is. It'll be okay. Come here." Zac smiled faintly and Ben pulled him into a tight hug. "It's okay, baby."
"I know."
"Come on, let's finish dinner." Zac let go and walked with Ben back over to the dinner table.