All Chapters of Coming Out of the Deep : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Lake A rush of excitement coursed through me as I stepped off the jet at Silverglate Airport. I couldn’t believe I was finally here, ready to start my varsity journey and embark on a new chapter of my life. Alec and I hurried to the curb, where our ride awaited us. As we got in the car, I could not help but feel both nervous and excited. This was the first time I was so far away from my family and the familiar comforts of home, but the excitement of all the new experiences that lay ahead quickly drew me out of it. As we began driving through the city, I realized it was even more beautiful than I had imagined, and there was a sense of freedom in the air. My cousin Alec was in his fourth and final year, and he told me that life was fast here. "Wow!" I marveled at how the city sparkled at night. It was one of its most striking features, and as someone from a small, quiet town, I found it captivating. It also made me understand why Alec almost failed his first year. Silverglate wa

Kairos My brother and I entered the club and the music's throb struck us like a wave. It was harsh, electric, and unrelenting; it had nothing in common with the melodic songs of the currents or the soft murmur of the sea. Red and blue lights danced across the walls, reflecting off a huge, mirrored ceiling as lights flashed in frantic bursts. For a moment, I could not tell if we had entered a celebration or a battlefield because of the chaotic way the bodies moved together. I looked at Darian, and for once, he seemed as out of place as I did. His shoulders were stiff, his usual confidence drained by the sheer force of it all. We were laughing a minute ago, teasing each other about who could blend in the best. We believed we were prepared. But now, standing in this room packed with people, their energy crashing over us like a storm, I was not sure we were prepared. The air felt heavy, almost too thick to breathe, and I was sure that if I could smell scents, they would be mixed a

Lake “Lake… hey, are you OK? Lux's concerned voice finally snapped me out of my trance. I blinked, still cold from the events unfolding before me, and she quickly followed my gaze, her expression nearly matching mine as she took in the scene in front of us. "What the hell?" she whispered, causing the guys she was with to ask what was happening. She opened her mouth to respond, but I interjected, saying it was nothing and that I needed a drink. One of the guys suggested we go back to the bar, at which point Lux wrapped her arm around my waist and looked up at me with sad, stunned eyes. She must have figured out why I did not come back inside and realized I was with Kairos, the same Kairos who was now all over someone else. Plus, despite trying to walk straight, I was sure she could see the limp in my step. My ass felt like it was on fire. I tried to fake a smile in response to her touch to hide the devastation inside me, but even I could tell I was doing a bad job. I was d

Lake's POV Lux and I exchanged a look, her eyes full of concern, but I couldn’t hold her gaze for long. My attention drifted to the girl standing behind us, and I still couldn’t find words to respond to her. I knew I didn't want her sitting next to us, but what would be my reason for chasing her away? I wasn’t a confrontational person, plus, as far as she knew, I had no reason to dislike her. She didn’t know I was gay or that something had happened between Kai and me, so she wasn’t aware that she did anything wrong. Regarding the kiss in the bathroom, I didn't know the whole story, and as I looked at her, my mind raced, desperately trying to piece together fragments of a memory that didn't exist. I pictured everything Lux had described, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't remember the incident. Instead, I felt this hollow, sick feeling in my chest. I felt violated in a way I couldn’t fully articulate. I wasn’t even a tiny bit attracted to women. I was gay, straight

Lux’s POV I glanced at my phone and tapped the screen to see the time. Lake had probably been gone for an hour or more, but I had not kept track of the time, so I wasn't sure. With a sigh, I looked at Olivia sitting across from me, scrolling through her phone, and said, grabbing my backpack and Lake's, "I'm going to the restroom." She gave me a hazy nod and barely looked up before returning to her screen, which made me regret telling her I was leaving. We hadn’t exchanged more than a handful of words since Lake left. Olivia had tried to make small talk, asking how long I’d known Lake or what classes I was looking forward to, but I kept my answers short, and she got the message that I wasn’t interested in talking to her. There was something about her I couldn’t put my finger on, something that set me on edge. Maybe it was the way she acted, too familiar with Lake, or the subtle glances she kept casting my way. I didn’t care that they went to the same high school—something abou