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“It’s the perfect place to talk.”

As they exited the car, they took hold of each other’s hand as they made their way toward the lighthouse. Skylar had assumed they’d head up to the top, but Elena pulled her down toward the beach. They found a spot on the beach to sit, and Skylar put her arm around Elena’s shoulders.

“So, walk me through it. What happened?”

Elena recounted the conversation with her parents, and Skylar felt her blood boiling. She’d known Elena’s parents weren’t supportive of the LGBTQIA+ community, but she had hoped that they would have understood since it was their daughter. But clearly, Felix and Adele weren’t that kind of parents.

“He told me not to come back unless I was straight.”

“He said that?”

“Well, not exactly like that, but that was the gist of it, yeah.”

“I’m so sorry, Ellie. I never thought they’d react like that.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“But it kind of is.” Skylar gritted her teeth as Elena looked at her. “You’re with me, and that’s why you had to come out. If we weren’t together, then…”

“No.” Elena shook her head rapidly. “Don’t you ever think that. I love you, Skylar, and I want to be with you. I knew this was part of that then, and it doesn’t change anything now.”

Skylar nodded in agreement. “I just wish things didn’t have to be this way. I hate that us just being in love with each other is seen as some political or religious stance when it’s not.”

“On some level, it is, though. We could easily suppress our feelings for each other. Hell, I did that for years,” she laughed as the heaviness seemed to let up just a little. “But it’s not worth it. I was miserable, and I missed you all the time.”

“I wish you had told me.”

Elena glanced away from her as she ran her hands in the cool sand. “I didn’t know how. Not after how things ended.”

Looking back, Skylar didn’t know if she’d have even answered Elena’s calls or texts back then. Skylar had been so hurt by Elena that she never wanted to see her again. Granted, it was mostly because she was still madly in love with her and didn’t know how to process those feelings.

But Skylar understood now more than ever why Elena didn’t want to come out. All the things Elena had been worried about were slowly coming true as Elena inches further out of the closet. Skylar couldn’t blame Elena if she hurried back in and slammed the door in her face. Especially when her career could be the next thing to take a hit.

It pained Skylar to speak the words in her heart, but she loved Elena.

“We don’t have to say anything about us.” Skylar didn’t look at Elena as she spoke. Instead, she focused on the waves gently crashing into the shore. “We can just keep it between us. Nobody needs to know that.”

“It’s bound to come out, Sky. You know that.”

“Then we can announce that it’s not true. Maybe if people hear it straight from us, they’ll believe it.”

“That goes against everything you stand for. Why would you even suggest that?”

Elena was right. Keeping their relationship hidden went against everything Skylar had been saying for years. Hell, they could have still been together if Skylar had that mentality back then. But the one thing that Skylar knew now that she didn’t know then was that her life was better when Elena was in it. And Skylar would fight heaven and hell to keep Elena in her life this time.

“It’s like we talked about before. I’m leaving the music world after the tour. You’re still going to have to live in it. And if staying in the closet and keeping us a secret keeps you safe and comfortable, then you should do that. I won’t push you to give more than you’re willing to give.”

Nodding her head, Elena wiped a few tears from her eyes. Skylar put both arms around her and pulled her closer.

“I’m too emotional to think clearly tonight.”

“I get that.” And Skylar truly did. “Have you eaten anything? We can grab some food on the way home if you’d like.”

“I’m really hungry, actually. I haven’t eaten all day.”

“Burgers or pizza?”

“Both,” Elena chuckled.