That night, after coming back from the bar, Soren was completely drunk—he couldn't even walk properly, just like all the other times.
"Ha ha ha," I couldn't help but let out a small laugh. After putting him to bed, I took a bath and went to sleep. I had a dream—I dreamed of the day I went back in time. If I remember correctly, it was the day before Soren revealed his secret to our parents.
I woke up that morning with a strange shiver. The light barely passed through the curtains, but I knew one thing: tomorrow, Soren was going to reveal everything. Tomorrow, he would confess that he liked boys.
And this time… this time, I couldn't make the same mistakes. I couldn't stay silent anymore. I had to protect him, help him, be the brother he deserved.
Fourteen years old. Soren, fourteen years old. And me… I had a second chance. Every word, every gesture would matter. And I had to be careful. Very careful.
Soren entered my room as usual, his hair messy and his eyes still heavy with sleep.
"You're already up?" he asked, a sleepy smile on his lips.
"Yes… I just woke up," I replied, feigning surprise.
He shrugged and sat on the edge of the bed. "You know… tomorrow, I have something to tell you. Something important."
My heart tightened. He was going to reveal everything. And I… I had to be ready.
"I'll listen," I murmured, looking him straight in the eyes.
The rest of the day passed slowly. I stayed close to him, observing every move, noting his habits, his reactions, his smiles. Every detail counted. Tomorrow, everything would change, and I wanted to make sure nothing went wrong.
At school, I paid attention to every interaction. When a few classmates whispered and stared at him strangely, I made sure to stay by his side. For the first time, I truly understood what he had been through over the past five years. And I silently promised that I would do everything to make sure he never suffered again.
That evening, at home, our parents seemed as always absorbed in their own affairs, indifferent to what was happening under their roof. But I couldn't stay passive. Every glance, every word had to be calculated to protect Soren.
When night finally fell, I found myself alone in my room, thinking about tomorrow. Everything was about to begin—the day of Soren's confession. And I… I had to react differently. I couldn't push him away; I couldn't let our parents intervene. This time, I would be there for him. I already had some ideas in mind in case our parents got angry. I hoped everything would go well.
I went to bed with a new determination: tomorrow, everything could change. Tomorrow, I would do something I had never done before: be the protective, loyal, loving brother. And maybe, just maybe, I could repair five years of pain.
The next morning, the sun timidly slipped through the curtains. Soren was getting dressed in his room, backpack ready, but I could see the unusual nervousness in his eyes. He was going to speak.
I stayed silent, sitting on the edge of the bed. My heart was pounding. I wasn't going to repeat my mistakes. This time, I had to be up to the task.
When Soren went down to the kitchen, his hands trembling slightly, our parents, as always, were busy with their work, unaware of the importance of this moment. So he went ahead.
"Mom… Dad… I… I like boys," Soren said, his voice almost a whisper.
I looked at him without thinking. I placed my hand gently over his to reassure him.
"I… I'm gay too!! I like men and that won't change." That was my brilliant idea, and Soren had no idea.
Soren looked up at me, surprised, almost incredulous. His gaze softened, shining like a miner who had just struck gold, as if he could finally release his feelings. All that remained was our parents' reaction—but to my surprise, things didn't go as I had predicted. They looked at us with disgust. I was stunned. I had thought we might be the exception, but I was wrong.
Our parents turned toward us, shocked. The words that followed were harsh, humiliating, just as I remembered… but this time, they were directed at both of us. The dice had already been cast—we couldn't go back.
"Enough!" I shouted. "You will not judge us or punish us for this. We need you, not your criticisms!"
Silence filled the room. Our parents stared at me, astonished. For the first time, I stood up to them.
Soren looked at me with gratitude, and for the first time in five years, he didn't see hate or disappointment in my eyes. He saw love. Protection.
I knew it wouldn't be easy, that our parents would continue to misunderstand, but this moment… this moment changed everything. Soren had the right to be himself, and this time, I wouldn't let him down.
Our parents became even angrier. They yelled at us for four hours straight, punishing us both in the disciplinary room. That evening, the situation took another turn: they came to announce that we had been removed from the family registry and were now considered orphans. We could hardly believe our ears. They threatened to send us to a disciplinary institution if we didn't sign the papers. We had no choice but to accept our fate. They gave us 3,000 each as compensation.
Coming from a fairly supportive family, and faced with losing all of that, I chose my brother. We hadn't been lucky with such cruel parents. Soren didn't say a word. He was just there. Two fourteen-year-olds thrown out—what could we do?
Soren suggested we go to an orphanage and save the compensation money. I agreed immediately. After all, I was just the little brother following his older brother everywhere. Soren also told me not to worry—we would get through this.
On the way to the orphanage in a taxi, he whispered in my ear, "I'm really glad you're like me." While saying this, he timidly placed his hand in mine. A shy smile appeared on his face, and in that smile, I read a silent promise: we would stay together, no matter what the future held.
For the first time since that day, I knew I could truly make up for past mistakes. And I promised myself that never, ever again, would Soren suffer because of me.