A Unique and Torn Romance

I’m sitting on my bed. It’s late – very late. The sun has gone down hours ago. I can’t even hear my mom tiptoeing around anymore. She always thinks she’s being so quiet, but I hear her every step – even when she walks past the bottom of the stairs.
I wish my mom had the unicorn gene. I could’ve used some guidance when I was a kid. Of course the only other unicorn in the family – my mom’s dad – died when I was one. Great.
Only males are unicorns. My mom isn’t. Duh.
I sigh and look at my door.
I sigh again and turn my head to look ahead of me.
I jump.

“Can’t you come through the door like any normal parent!” There’s no indication of a question in my voice – just like I want it.

“Where is the fun in that?” my dad asks with a smirk on his pale lips. I roll my eyes and look off to the side, while I try to bring my heart rate back to something remotely normal.
I look back at my dad and see him sitting on my bed now – the mattress not giving in at all.
“So, you found out?” I have no idea why he asks me that.

“You already know the answer to that one,” I snarl. I can’t hate him, but I sure as hell find him unbelievable and incredibly annoying and irritating right now.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” I’m actually hurt, too. He’s my dad! He’s supposed to help me! And then he just leaves me like that – alone and fucking confused?!

“How would you have reacted if I suddenly told you that you were gay?” I’m about to give him some snappy comeback, but my mind snaps before my mouth.

I look down and shrug.

“You would have denied it. You would have told me that I was wrong, and then you would have wound up denying yourself instead of finding yourself.” I hate it when my dad turns profound and poetic. I hate it even more when he’s right.
“You needed to find this out yourself.” I don’t look up at my dad. Even though he’s right and would never gloat about that fact, I still feel too stupid and ashamed to look him in the eye.
“It is a growing experience, son,” my dad says encouragingly, before he grabs onto my shoulder and squeezes.

A small smile slowly creeps onto my face, and though I try to suppress it, I can’t help but smile full force and finally look up at my dad. He’s smiling back – his sharp, white corner-teeth capturing my eye.

“I knew about your brothers sexuality by the time he was 8.” I glance up at my dad’s eyes – shocked – before my eyes are being sucked back to his teeth.
“I left it to him to figure out. He might have found out sooner than you, but he did find out himself.” My dad’s smile fades – his teeth finally letting my eyes go. I look up at his dark-red eyes.

“When did you know about me?” My dad smirks lightly – his teeth still hidden by his lips – and looks away quickly, before he sighs and looks me straight in the eye.

“When you were 13.” I look away from his eyes and down at black and pink sheets. The unicorn in me loves pink.
I was 13 when I first downloaded porn.
“You are harder to read than Gerard. You have a greater, harder barrier than your brother.” I look up at my dad and see a hint of sadness in his eyes.
“Your mother and I were worried about you at first, but when I found out about your…” he stops, looks around, and then leans in close to me, “about your internet activities, I knew you were okay.” He winks at me in a don’t-worry-it’s-normal kind of way. I hold back a loud laugh and look down – blushing.
He pulls away and when I look up, he’s standing by my open window.
“We love you the same. We know you know this, but it is good to say it out loud.” I smile widely – my eyes stinging slightly from the tears pressing against them.

“I love you too.” The words seem odd coming from my mouth. I’ve never said them out loud before – only thought them.
I almost cry – feeling sentimental. It seems like a special moment.
My dad winks at me again. Within one second he turns into a bat and flies out the window – his dark body disappearing into the darkness.
I silent tear slips out of my left eye. I take in a deep breath.
I close my eyes and replay the last 5 minutes in my head – mentally saving it on my hard drive where it’ll never be deleted.