"I think about it," Leo said softly. "But I don't think about the city. I just think about whether you’ll still be there."
Leo was the quiet one, a mechanic’s son with grease permanently under his fingernails and a habit of listening more than he spoke. Julian was his opposite: a whirlwind of energy who painted murals on the brick walls of the town’s alleyways and spoke about leaving for the city as if it were a promised land. gayloverboys
The summer air in Crestview was thick with the scent of pine and asphalt. Leo and Julian had spent every July since they were ten years old sitting on the rusted tailgate of Leo’s truck, watching the sunset dip behind the foothills. "I think about it," Leo said softly
: Facing small-town prejudice often requires a mix of standing one's ground and knowing when it is time to move to a more supportive community. Julian was his opposite: a whirlwind of energy
Leo looked at him. Julian’s hair was dyed a faded shade of blue, and he was wearing a thrifted shirt three sizes too big. To Leo, Julian looked like a masterpiece that didn't belong in a town this small.