I was melanie's boyfriend.

I need to say something, and I’ve been holding this in for a long time. Honestly… longer than I should have. This has been eating at me because every single day I felt like I was living a lie. I smiled, I laughed, I acted like everything was normal, but deep down there was this constant fear — fear of being judged, fear of losing people, fear that the ones I love would see me differently. So I hid. I hid because I was scared. Scared that if I told the truth, I’d be looked at differently… talked about… maybe even disowned by the group chat. And I know some of you may be hurt that I didn’t tell you sooner. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for every time I dodged the question. I’m sorry for every awkward laugh, every suspiciously vague answer, every “haha maybe one day” when people asked me what my type was. The truth is… I wanted to tell you. So many times I wanted to just scream it and be free, but every time the words got stuck in my throat because I didn’t know if I was ready for the consequences. But I can’t keep pretending anymore. I can’t keep living for other people’s expectations. I deserve to be honest. You deserve honesty. So today, right now, I’m choosing to live as my authentic self. No more hiding. No more fear. No more secret double life. I am… straight. Yes. Heterosexual. A member of the aggressively mainstream. I like the opposite gender. There, I said it. I know this may come as a shock to some of you. Some of you probably suspected. Some of you are currently processing. Some of you may need space. And that’s okay. All I ask is that you love me for who I am. Because underneath it all… I’m still me. Just… painfully straight. Thank you.