Texting Anonymous

I sat in my room later that night, staring at my phone, my heart still racing from the conversation earlier. The screen glowed in the dim light of my room, the silence around me almost too loud. I'd never imagined this kind of conversation would be happening, especially not through a burner account, but here I was—talking to someone who understood what I was going through. It was strange but comforting at the same time.

The account had messaged me again. I clicked open the chat, reading the new message:

Anonymous: So, you made a burner too?

I couldn't help but chuckle under my breath. That was probably a good call. It felt safer this way—no one knowing who I was, not yet anyway.

Me: Yeah, lol. Needed to be careful.

The reply came quickly, almost as if they were waiting for it:

Anonymous: That was smart. I'm guessing you're not gonna tell me who you are?

I paused before typing, my finger hovering over the keys. I wanted to tell them. I wanted to just open up, to be honest, but something in me held back. The fear of exposure still hung over me, and I wasn't sure I was ready to cross that line.

Me: Maybe a different time.

Anonymous: Same here. Trying to be safe.

I let out a small sigh. It felt like we were both tiptoeing around something, both too cautious to dive into the deep end just yet. But I wasn't in any rush. For the first time in a long while, I felt like I wasn't the only one who could understand this weight.

Me: Anyways, what year are you?

The account replied almost instantly:

Anonymous: 11th.

I sat back for a second, blinking. There was something oddly comforting about that. The fact that we were the same age, going through this at the same time.

Me: Oh cool, same here. We probably know each other.

I stared at the words, my heart pounding a little harder. We were probably in the same school, maybe even in the same class, walking past each other every day. Who were they? Who could they be?

The account responded:

Anonymous: Maybe. Who knows?

I thought about it for a second. There was a chance we had seen each other, maybe even crossed paths a hundred times without ever knowing we were both hiding the same thing. But there was also a chance that we wouldn't ever find out.

Me: Yeah. Who knows?

It felt weird, like we were dancing around each other, barely touching the surface of what we both wanted to say. But for now, that was okay. I didn't need to know everything right away. We had time.

I set my phone down for a moment, letting out a deep breath. I didn't know where this was going, but it felt... right, in a way I hadn't felt in a long time.

I sat back on my bed, the glow of my phone illuminating the dim room as I read the latest message from the account.

Anonymous: So does your family know?

I paused, considering my response. Coming out was a big step, and even though this was just an anonymous conversation, it felt significant. I typed back:

Me: Nah. Not yet. Tbh, I don't think they'd care. My mom's cool with that stuff and so is my dad. My sister would probably make fun of me though.