Chapter One - The Beginning

Tyler’s Story

Fall is here, with leaves drifting downwards in a symphony of colors—it's the Midwest at its most picture-perfect. It’s Tyler’s 3rd season going into this bowling season. He’s a junior in high school and there’s a lot to think about this year. Where is he going to apply to college? What more activities can he do to boost his application? Is he going to try and stick to his usual nerdy crowd of music nerds, drama kids, and online gay kids? Or will he finally fit into the jocks, which shockingly enough, bowling would be able to do for him. It’s very hard to pinpoint what will happen. However, Tyler is confident that something big is on the horizon and he’s ready for it. This year however, more than anything, Tyler is looking for love desperately. It’s his junior year and the closest thing he’s had to a relationship was a fleeting moment in his freshman year to a girl. However, it was then that he was quickly pulled from the closet. It wasn’t a fun time, but he does not regret coming out. Even for a small town, despite micro aggressions and passing homophobia, it’s not too bad. It’s 2024 after all.

            Today’s the first day of try outs of the bowling season. Tyler walking in with his bowling bag in toe, his brown messy fringe hair cut paired well with his retro bowling inspired outfit, he can’t help but feel excited to be back. Tyler loved this bowling alley even if it was a bit old. The machines were from the 90s, the scoring system felt ancient compared to some of the new ones in the big cities. To be honest, he wasn’t sure how it was still holding up, but the surrounding small towns had a love for the alley. Even with its retro charm.

As he’s walking in Tyler notices something, other schools are there. This isn’t too unusual for other schools to practice at the same bowling alley, they’re all closing down. However, it is unusual for try outs to happen at the same time. Tyler doesn’t mind though, it’s not like he’ll see these people too much they’re from opposite schools in neighboring towns after all. As Tyler goes up to his team, he notices a boy that catches his eye. He’s not sure what his name is but he sure is cute. Tall, blonde, has glasses, and everything that Tyler loves in a boy. Tyler suddenly feels something deep inside. Was it nerves? Was it love at first sight? Tyler wasn’t too sure, he always gets this way around a cute boy. However, he quickly notices that boy isn’t from his school. He’s from the rival school who just happens to be talking to one of Tyler’s teammates. Guess he’ll have to get his name later, but it might just be his luck that he’s straight. That typically happens in this area. Tyler get’s his hopes up, that there might be a fleeting chance that a boy might be into him, however, this is always not the case. Tyler was one of three out gay boys in his school. Each of them hated the other romantically, Tyler wasn’t sure why. He had no hard feelings but that’s just the way it was.

            As Tyler walks up to his team, the cute boy starts to walk away. A bummer that he couldn’t catch him in time, but Tyler has more things to worry about. He wants to make varsity this year, though he knows thats unlikely, he’s not been good since freshman year. He joins because he truly does like the sport. As Tyler starts to get ready for try outs he starts talking to one of his friends, Brendon.

            “Who was that you were just talking to?” Asks Tyler trying to get more information from Brendon.

            “That boy? His name is Hunter, and I know what you’re thinking Tyler. He’s straight, trust me.” Says Brendon, one of Tyler’s close friends on the bowling team.

            “That’s not what I was thinking! I just haven’t really gotten to know the other team. I was hoping to possibly make new friends this year. You know I don’t have many” says Tyler.

            While it’s true that Tyler doesn’t have many friends, he was lying about trying to get to know that boy more. Hunter… sounds like a lovely name. Tyler knows Brendon said Hunter was straight, but this isn’t the first time a straight boy might have been trying to hide the truth. Tyler unfortunately has the habit of falling for the boys who aren’t out of the closet. In public they make fun of Tyler and stay away from anything in gay, but they are in Tyler’s DMs on Snapchat trying to get to know him much more than just friends. However, Tyler once again feels like Hunter could be different. Deep inside Tyler wants to know Hunter more. There’s this feeling Tyler cannot place, maybe it’s lust or maybe its just teenage hormones but Tyler feels he must have Hunter. To Tyler there is no other way.

            Unfortunately, this is a habit that Tyler has. He knows deeply that his thoughts are wrong. He knows that he cannot make a habit of trying to make a straight boy fall in love with him. However, Hunter in his eyes must be different. So, the cycle continues, over and over again. Tyler and Brendon move on from the subject and start to talk about the upcoming season and school year. Brendon is confident that he’ll make varsity and within good reason. Brendon is truly good at bowling. Tyler did have a crush on him last year when they were on the team together. There was play flirting between the two, however it went nowhere Brendon was straight and Tyler knew that. However, they ended up being close friends on the team, nowhere near best friends but close enough that Brendon feels comfortable around Tyler even with the previous flirting.

            During try outs, Tyler couldn’t        help but look at Hunter repeatedly. In Tyler’s eyes he was just so… Perfect. Yes, perfect is the word that Tyler would use to describe Hunter. He bowled so effortlessly, the way Hunter smiled at his own teammates. Tyler could even hear Hunter’s voice even down 10 noisy bowling lanes. It was deep and rich, almost like Josh Turner’s voice, one of Tyler’s greatest inspirations in country music. Tyler couldn’t concentrate on bowling. His infatuation with Hunter was so much. By time tryouts were done Tyler didn't do as well as he would have hoped. He was just too distracted by the boy of perfection bowling to the side of him.

            As bowling try outs wind down, Tyler learns that he made varsity by a slim margin. Tyler knows that he needs to do better. He shouldn’t have an issue though, its not like he’ll see Hunter again, he’s in a school in the next town and Tyler doesn’t think they have any friends in common. It’s fine, Tyler will work hard at the next practice and will try his hardest to get over it. This might be hard for Tyler though, when Tyler gets smitten, he falls hard and Hunter too much of Tyler’s dismay is just so perfect. Will this be Tyler’s Heartstopper? Things like this only happen in TV shows, books, and movies… It won’t happen to Tyler. The straight boy won’t be secretly gay or have this grand realization, and Tyler will end up disappointed once again. Why would this time be any different?

            Tyler quickly tries to forget and just goes home. However, Tyler has to learn more about Hunter. Maybe there’s a hint that Hunter is gay, there just has to be. So, Tyler does what any gay teenage boy would do trying to find love. He tries to find Hunter online and with relative ease he finds Hunter on every social media site. Hunter is just so perfect to Tyler. The more he scrolls the more he’s attracted to Hunter. His glasses which frame his face so perfectly, his beautiful blue eyes, that gorgeous blonde hair. The more Tyler gets to know this online persona of Hunter the more he is smitten. Tyler knows he should stop before he gets hurt but there’s something calling out. Something wanting more, demanding more and Tyler cannot turn it off. It’s settled Tyler must get Hunter at all costs, no matter what. Tyler has something in the back of his mind saying its a bad idea but what else is he supposed to do? In this town there’s no chance for love and that’s all Tyler wants.

            The next day at school after stalking Hunter’s social media, Tyler is going to do some sleuthing to see if he could get more first hand information. It’s Tyler’s luck that his friend Brittany is also into bowling and happens to be at the bowling alley much more than Tyler. Brittany was a really supportive friend to Tyler, even though they had their religious differences, Brittany was there for Tyler through coming out and the backlash that first happened from the jocks of the school. They’ve been friends since 7th grade, but their friendship grew during freshman year during that tumultuous time. 

            During their daily walk around the school, Tyler decides to bring up Hunter.

            “Brittany, do you know a Hunter that bowls for Fostoria?” asked Tyler.

            Fostoria was the neighboring town of Merritt. Hunter lived in Fostoria, while Tyler lived in Merritt.

            “Yes, he’s actually a really good bowler! I’ve bowled with him for a really long time now. He seems nice enough, why what’s up?” Brittany said knowing where this is going to go.

            “Well, I saw him at try outs yesterday, he was just so cute. Brittany I can’t stop thinking about him.” Said Tyler pining for something that’s essentially forbidden.

            “Tyler, I think he’s straight. I wouldn’t give him too much thought. Even if he was gay, he’s deep in the closet and you wouldn’t want to force him out!” Said Brittany

            “I know, I know. But I think there might be something, he follows Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and even Rupaul’s Drag Race! It can’t get much gayer than that.” said Tyler trying to plead his case.

            “Tyler, straight men can enjoy those things now. This isn’t the 2000s. Things have changed. He might just find Taylor Swift cute.” Brittany says while trying to temper Tyler’s expectations of this new love interest.

            "Brittany, she so for real right now" Tyler insisted, his voice tinged with desperation. "What straight guy around here even remotely thinks of Taylor Swift and RuPaul's Drag Race? It's gotta mean something."

            Brittany held her ground, her expression softening with empathy. She knew Tyler's determination all too well, a trait she both admired and worried about. With a sigh, she relented, recognizing the futility of arguing with him when he got like this.

            "Tyler," she began gently, "I get it, I do. But not even somebody liking Drag Race means they are gay or bi. And even if by some miracle he's not straight, forcing him out of the closet isn't the answer. You know that."

            Brittany watched him carefully, her concern clear in her eyes. Despite Tyler's persistence in other aspects of his life—school, extracurriculars, even overcoming medical challenges—he always seemed to hit a roadblock when it came to love. It was a pattern she'd observed time and again, one that left Tyler vulnerable to heartache.

            "Tyler, I will ask next time I see him, but I think this will turn into another situation where you get hurt again," Brittany said, her voice tinged with concern as she tried to reason with him.

            Tyler's excitement wavered momentarily, but he quickly masked it with a smile. "Brittany, you're the best, you know that, right?" he said, trying to brush off her worries. "I think I just heard the bell, I'll see you at lunch. Bye, bestie."

"Bye, Tyler," Brittany sighed, her concern deepening as she watched him leave. "Again, try not to think about it too much."

As Tyler walked away, Brittany couldn't shake the heaviness in her chest. She knew Tyler's heart was set on Hunter, but she also feared the inevitable disappointment awaiting him.

Over the next few days, the weight of Tyler's infatuation hung heavily on his mind. Despite only having practice once a week, he found himself yearning to see Hunter again, to have another chance at catching his eye. But each time he considered showing up at the bowling alley, anxiety gripped him, keeping him rooted in place.

Tyler couldn't shake the longing for a fairy-tale romance, the kind he'd only seen in movies. With the homecoming dance approaching, the desire to make it a reality intensified. He was determined to have that pivotal moment, to make Hunter his Prince Charming, regardless of the obstacles in his way.

As the days passed, Tyler's resolve only grew stronger, fueling his determination to win Hunter's affection. But beneath the surface, doubts lingered, threatening to shatter his fantasy with harsh reality. Yet, Tyler pushed them aside, unwilling to let anything stand in the way of his pursuit of love.