I grab my suitcase and stuff my favorite hoodie in it, along with some other clothes.

"C'mon, Mark! We're gonna be late!" I call to him, zipping up my bag and pulling it out into the hallway.

We were about to get on the plane to Cincinnati. It was the day before the fourth of July and Mark was wanting to spend it with his family. We were taking Sam and Tim with us, but I knew that they were going to get nervous on the plane.

"Hold on!" I see him in the living room, stuffing something weird into his bag.

"What's that?" I ask him.

"Oh! Uh! Nothing!" He says, quickly zipping up the small zipper. I raise an eyebrow but don't push any further, knowing I won't get anything out of him.

***

We climb on the plane and sit in our seats after putting our bags above us.

"Here we go." I say, taking a deep breath.

"Hey... Are you okay?" Mark asks, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I nod. "Yeah... Yeah, I'm fine."

"Jack... We can go home. We don't have to do this, really!" He says, grabbing my hand.

I look down at our hands and smile, suddenly feeling much better.

"No, I'm okay. I just... I'm gonna need to hold your hand, though." I say, sheepishly.

Mark nods and tightens his grip on my hand and sitting back. He closes his eyes and takes a breath.

***

We were here. I climbed off of the giant plane with wobbly legs as we headed towards a small group of people.

They were all waving at Mark. I occasionally get a weird glance but I ignore it, happy to see that Mark was excited to see his family again.

"Oh, my goodness! My baby boy!" Mark's mom says, giving him a GIANT hug.

"And Jack! Oh! Its so good to see you!" She says, running over to me and hugging me as well.

"Good to see you again, Mrs. Fischbach." I say, patting her back.

"Who's this?" I hear someone ask.

The man who walks forward had a big grin on his face that I knew was phony. He also looked exactly like Mark, so I assumed it was his brother.

"Oh, this is Jack. Jack... This is my brother. Thomas." I nod, smiling. I shake his hand.

"We can all meet once we get home! Let's get going!" Mark's mom shouts, awkwardly trying to get everyone's attention.

(I don't know if Mark has any aunts or uncles, but in this book he does. Sorry!)

***

We were at Mark's childhood home.

I look around and see many pictures of baby Mark and baby Thomas, as well as some other children. I see many photos hung on the walls, of teenage Mark.

But I find a picture face down on the counter. I pick it up and look at it.

It was a picture of Mark, Bob, Wade, and I at our graduation. Everyone was smiling at the camera, except me because I was kissing Mark's cheek.

I then realise why she would hide this.

Nobody knows that Mark is gay.

I furrow my eyebrows and grab my bag. I walk over to Mrs. Fischbach. "Where's our room?" I ask her.

"Oh, your room is the second room on the left. Mark's room is the one right across the hall." She says, returning to the conversation she was previously having.

"Mark and I aren't sharing a room?" I ask her. She looks at me and brings me down to her height.

"You're both staying in the second one on the right. I'm just saying that you're not because of the family. I'm so sorry." She says. I nod and walk to our room.

I put my bag on the bed and sit down beside it, my head in my hands. I hear the door open and close.

"Baby, are you okay?" Mark asks.

I don't look up at him. "No... Mark, I'm not."

"What's wrong?" He asks, sitting down beside me.

"Mark, you're mom hasn't told anyone that we're together!" I exclaim.

"I know." He says, his voice low.

"And that doesn't bother you?!" I ask, looking up at him.

"Of course, it bothers me!" He says. "I was going to announce it tonight. Trust me."

I nod. "Is it gonna ruin everyone's time?" I ask.

"No! It shouldn't! If they truly love me, then they'll accept it and continue on with the holiday!" He says, smiling at me. I smile slightly and sigh, falling backwards on the bed.

"I'm so sorry, Jack. I should've told you." He says, laying down bedside me and twirling a strand of my hair.

"I'm sorry, Mark... I shouldn't have reacted that way. I feel foolish." I say, turning over on my side.

"No, no, no. Baby, don't apologize." He says, putting his hand on my shoulder. "Look at me." He says, pulling my shoulder and forcing me to look at him. "We're gonna be okay." He says, his eyes were begging me to accept it.

I nod and get up.