“No you’re not,” 16-year-old Cally said, small patches of red beginning to form on her cheeks.

“Cally,” Hailey calmly replied, “I know this is hard for you to understand, but it’s not something I can change; I’m gay.”

“Just stop it! Stop lying to me!!!” Cally screamed.

Cally, disgusted, stood there for a moment staring at her 18-year-old sister.  She then ran and locked herself in the room the two sisters shared.

How could she do this? I’ve always looked up to her; she’s my sister for crying out loud! There’s no way that a sister of mine could be gay.  That’s just unnatural; disgusting! Cally tried to shake these thoughts out of her head.  Tomorrow, everything will be back to normal, Cally thought Hailey will realize that this is all wrong, and that she isn’t gay.

The next day, Cally woke up to an empty bed beside her.  Maybe it was all a dream.  Cally shuddered.  A nightmare.

That morning at school, everything seemed pretty normal.  At lunchtime, Cally went and sat at her usual table with her friends.  She could hear bits of conversations floating around her.

“Did you see Mandy’s top? It looks as if someone threw up on it!”

“Oh my god, here comes Ryan.  God, he’s so gay!”

What about gay??

“I know, what a fag.”

Gay? Fag? Hailey.  No! She’s not gay.

“Look at Matt today, mmm!”

She just can’t be...

“So Cally, wanna go to the mall today after school?”

Hailey’s had many, many boyfriends.  She’s athletic, pretty, and smart! She wouldn’t throw all that away and choose to become gay.  Because that’s what it comes down to right? It’s a choice to be gay.  I mean, it has to be!

“Cally?”

All that mumbo jumbo about it being in their DNA, that’s bullshit.  We’re all humans, and there’s no way some of us are born straight, and others gay, is there?

“Cally!”

Suddenly Cally jumped, as she was brought back to the real world.  Her friends were all staring at her with worried looks on their faces.

“Are you all right?” Amy asked.

“Oh.  Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little tired.”

“You think you’re tired?  I’ve been up all night for the past two nights,” Amy said.

“Why?” Cally asked.

“Well, you know my cousin Sam? You know the one who’s always over at my house?” Amy asked.

“Yeah,” Cally replied.

“My aunt called us on Tuesday and said that Sam was in a car accident; a bad car accident.  She’s in the hospital in critical condition.  I’m afraid for her, I mean, what if she dies??  Sam is like my best friend,” Amy cried.

“It’s okay Amy, I’m sure everything will be all right,” Cally said in a comforting tone.  Everything will be all right…

That night at dinner Cally avoided Hailey’s eyes.  I wonder if mom and dad know. Would Hailey be brave enough to say that to their faces? Suddenly, a thought hit Cally like a bag of bricks.  Maybe Hailey made all this up just to get attention! Maybe this is her next big scheme to stay in the limelight! Well, that has to be it.  I guess I can understand her for doing that.  Popular people always have to come up with exciting events to keep people’s attention on them.  Yeah, that’s it.  Hailey just made this whole thing up.  Cally felt much better all of a sudden.  That night while washing the dishes, Cally decided to let Hailey know she was on to her little scheme.

“I know about your plan,” Cally whispered.

“Pardon me?” Hailey replied, confused.

“You know what I’m talking about.  It’s okay! You can trust me! Your secret’s safe with me.”

Hailey paused drying the dishes to look at Cally, a blank look on her face.

“Look Cally, if this has anything to do with me being gay-”

Cally just looked at Hailey, a smirk on her face.

“Okay, if you want to keep that story with me, just to keep things real, then I understand”

“Cally, this is real.  I’m really gay!”

“Shh, keep your voice down! Unless…have you told mom and dad the same lie? Cause’, I understand trying to get more attention from people at school, but don’t you get enough at home?”

“Cally.  Please listen to me.  You’re my little sister, my best friend.  We’ve told each other everything our whole lives! Me being gay is not something I made up as a ploy for more attention, believe me, I get enough! It’s just something I’ve come to realize about myself.  In fact, I was almost sure by the time I was 13.  It wasn’t until lately that I knew for sure.  Please try to understand this Cally.  I value your acceptance above anyone else’s!”

Cally suddenly felt cold.  She could no longer feel her body; she was numb. Without saying another word, Cally let the plate she was holding drop to the floor.  There was a huge smashing noise as the glass plate shattered into hundreds of little pieces. Then, Cally turned on her heel and numbly walked out of the kitchen, down the hall, and out the front door.  It wasn’t until she reached the end of the driveway that Cally finally stopped, all of her senses coming back to her.

All right.  Now I’m outside.  And it’s pitch black.  And cold.  And, oh look at that. It just started raining.  Cally walked to the bushes at the side of their house and huddled in them for a few moments, trying to use them as shelter from the rain.  The soft patter of rain and the envelope of darkness eventually cooled Cally down.  

How can this be happening? Life used to be so simple.  We’d walk to school together when we were younger and tell each other the worst Knock Knock jokes we could imagine.  Then, as we got older we became each other’s confidants.  I must know millions of Hailey’s secrets, all stored in that locked drawer of my mind.  But now, it’s like I don’t know her anymore.  Hailey’s always been my best friend! Just like… Sam was Amy’s.  And now, Amy might lose her best friend.  Just like I’m losing mine.

Wait, Amy’s losing her best friend because she’s dying.  Hailey isn’t dying, not even close! I’m only “losing” her because I haven’t been able to accept her for being who she is.  A small tear trickled out of Cally’s eye and then slowly made it’s way down her face, blending with the raindrops soaking her skin.  Cally shivered and slowly stood up, wrapping her soaking wet sweater tightly around her.  As she rounded the edge of her house, she saw small a silhouette on the ground.

“Cally?” a small voice whimpered.

Cally realized that that small silhouette was Hailey, and that she too was crying.

“Yeah, it’s me,” Cally replied, sitting down next to her sister on the ground.

The two sisters sat there in silence.  Cally then moved closer to Hailey, and wrapped her arms around her sister, finally feeling warm at last.

“Cally, I thought I’d lost you when you ran out of the kitchen earlier,” Hailey said.

“Hailey, we’re sisters.  You could never lose me.  And I’m sorry, okay?  It’s just, this is a big thing for me to understand.”

“I know.”

Once again, the two girls fell into silence.

“Is this the way it’s gonna be now?” Cally asked, “All these awkward silences? Because I don’t think that I can deal with any more.  We never used to have these kind of moments.”

Hailey sighed. “You know Cally, I think that many other things are going to be different from now on.  But that’s just because things are changing; we’re changing. Change doesn’t have to be a bad thing, Cally.  And as for these awkward silences, the only way to break them is with a-”

“Knock Knock joke,” Cally laughed.

“Knock Knock,” Hailey grinned.

“Who’s there?”

“Dishes.”

“Dishes who?” Cally smirked, realization passing over her face as she remembered the favourite joke between the two girls.

“Dishes your sister Hailey, so open the door!”

The two sisters burst into laughter, lying there on the muddy ground.

Cally suddenly noticed that Hailey was shivering profusely, and suggested they go inside.  At the door, Hailey suddenly stopped and looked at Cally.

“You know what you asked me earlier? About me telling mom and dad?” Hailey asked.  “Well the truth is, I haven’t.  I’m so afraid Cally!”

Cally grabbed her sister’s shivering hand, and looked straight at her.

“Whenever you’re ready to do this, I will be right there beside you.  Whatever they say to you, they will be saying to me.  That’s how things are going to be from now on.  I will always be there to support you.  Like I should’ve from the beginning.  Okay?” Cally said forcefully.

Hailey’s eyes filled with tears, and she nodded.

“Okay.”