Chapter 19

Dan was sorely missed by Jack, he was his best friend after all and it had been over three weeks since he last saw him, a first for them. He had even considered visiting him under the pretext of seeing his parents, but they had ultimately come to him.

"Where is Dan?" his father asked.

"He is..." Jack began.

"Leave him where he is. It's a break for us," his mother cut in.

"Mom, why have you never liked him? And don't tell me it's because of his sexual orientation, you hated him long before that," Jack added. A long, tense silence followed, before his father decided to break it.

"Dan's mother and I had an affair," the father spat, provoking the anger of Jack's mother.

"Did you have to tell him that?" she exclaimed.

"What? It's you who always dwell on the past, hating that poor boy," the father retorted.

"Did you cheat on Mom, Dad?" Jack asked, trying to keep his composure.

"No, it was before her. She was the intruder who caused Daniella and me to break up, she..." the father began, interrupted by Dan's arrival in the house, his backpack on his shoulders. He greeted everyone and headed towards his room. A few moments later, he came out and sat next to Jack.

"Do you really think you have the right to sit with us? This conversation has nothing to do with..."

"Mrs. Foster... I couldn't care less about your opinion of me. It has never bothered me and now that I know the reason behind it, it matters even less. Because now I realize that you are a malicious person. You take it out on a child who has no connection to your grievances. Is that really why you hate me?" He referenced a recent conversation he had overheard. "My mother passed away, Mrs. Foster. It has been over ten years already. And you continue to live in her shadow, evoking more compassion than anger in me. You only evoke compassion."

"How dare you?"

"I dare, and I will tell you again and again."

"Leave this house right now. I don't want you living here with my son anymore. You ungrateful little..."

"Oh, but I would ask you to leave MY house. I have... ACQUIRED this property. It belongs to me. So you have no right to..."

"You lying brat, this house is..."

"To Yohan Cabaye? Your dear friend, who happens to be in debt and whom you refused to help when he asked for your assistance. I paid off his debt and he transferred his property to me." Mrs. Foster was speechless, as were her son and husband. But they were all happy, although surprised by what they had just learned.

"I'm happy for you, Daniel," the father said.

"Thank you, Mr. Foster."

"Where did you get the money?" his friend asked.

"I'll tell you," he replied. "But I have to leave. I have something to do." Dan stood up, with Jackson following him to the door.

"Where are you going? You just got back and you're already leaving?"

"Looks like a jealous wife," he teased. "I have some people to meet. I won't be long."

"Okay."

Dan headed to the meeting with the young members of the LGBT+ community that the lawyer had introduced him to, and whom he had already spoken to online. They were all studying at the same university as Dan, with some even studying law like him. Although they seemed nice, Dan felt a little intimidated.

The building where they were supposed to meet was a twenty-minute drive away on his motorcycle. Dan found it easily. It was a large white building, reflecting the lawyer's obvious preference for that color.

Upon entering the building, Dan was greeted by someone, quite old, dressed in feminine clothing but with a mustache. Strange.

Despite the ambiguous appearance, he managed to discern from the deep voice, Adam's apple, and mustache that the person was actually a man. But not wanting to offend him, Dan politely said, "Hello, Madam," which made the person smile.

"Hello, young man. How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for someone," Dan pulled out a paper from his pocket and read the name written on it.

"Oh, follow me. You must be Daniel."

"Yes, how did you know?"

"The lawyer... He informed us of your visit."

"Ah!" Dan exclaimed quietly. "He informed you."

"Yes."

The woman's name was Ayline, and she had an oriental accent, the markings on her face indicating she was not native to the country.

"Children!" she exclaimed in a large room where someone... was dancing?

Dan thought the center was meant for the improvement of education and knowledge among its members.

"Ayline, what are you doing here?" asked a boy in tight shorts and a small black crop top, his midriff exposed, clearly sweaty after dancing. "And with such a handsome boy!" he added, putting his hands on his hips and raising an eyebrow.

"It's Daniel, the boy your uncle told us about."

"The newcomer? He's quite a hunk!"

"Come, follow me," said the boy. "Call me Louis. I'm the nephew of... the lawyer."

"Pleased to meet you," replied Dan, letting himself be led to the center of the room where all eyes were on him.

"So, darlings, this is Daniel, our newcomer."

A round of applause echoed through the room.

"Are you already taken?" asked two of them, sparking general hilarity. Dan did not expect this reception, but he simply smiled at them.

"He's so cute!" they exclaimed in unison.

"Now, introduce yourself to the class," ordered Louis, who sat with his friends.

"My name is Daniel, but you can call me Dan," he began, clearing his throat. "I come from..."

"We don't want the classic introduction," Louis interrupted. "We want to know your name, your age, your sexual orientation..."

"Your favorite position!" added a young boy, who was actually the oldest in the room, apart from Ayline of course.

"O-okay!?" Dan started, awkwardly laughing. "My name is Dan, I'm 20 years old, and I am...gay." The boys in the room whistled. "And I'm not...in a relationship."

"And your favorite position?" the smaller one inquired again.

"I don't know, I don't know many positions." He blushed.

"I can teach you, if you want," another boy offered, laughing.

"Okay everyone, let's move on to the 10 questions now," declared Louis, bringing everyone back to order.

"So Daniel, the '10 questions' is a game that all new members must do. 10 older members ask you questions to which you must answer as honestly as possible."

"Are you okay with that?" asked Ayline, standing a little further away.

"Yes, if that's the rule."

"First question for Zak," said Louis.

"Have you ever been with both sexes?" he asked. Dan, surprised by the question but still answering.

"I have only been with one person so far. A man."

"A model gay among us, ladies and gentlemen," exclaimed Zak. Everyone seemed... playful and teasing in this center.

"Second question for Anne."

"Are you in a relationship with this person or not?"

"I am not in a relationship with him."

"Third question for Roberto."

"Do you love this man... or guy?"

"Yes," Dan replied with sadness.

"Fourth question for Enrique."

"Is the person you love a friend?"

"Yes. My... best friend."

"Fifth question. Yahan."

"Is your friend gay?"

"No, he is straight and already has a girlfriend." A wave of sadness swept through the room upon hearing this answer.

"Sixth question. Anaëlle."

"Does he know that you have feelings for him?"

"No, he does not know," Dan answered sincerely.

"Seventh question. Thaïs."

"How did your relationship start?"

"Out of simple curiosity. We were curious, but then..."

"You fell in love," added the person who asked the question, appearing to sympathize.

"Eighth question. Nefertiti." Yes, Nefertiti was her name. Her real name, and she was a boy. A pretty boy. Like all the other boys in the center.

"Are you still in touch with this man?"

"Yes, but only as friends. I don't think it could go any further."

"So, ninth question. Ayline."

"Daniel, do you have friends in the LGBT community, like us?"

"No, I don't have any," he replied. "I have no one," he muttered to himself.

"I see."

"Tenth question," Louis exclaimed. "Me."

"So Dan, why did you decide to join our center, our community?" Dan honestly shared with them what had happened with the lawyer and in his life. These strangers were thus informed of the most intimate details of his past.