Chapter 44

Albert's POV

"You look very handsome," I say when I'm in front of him. He raises his gaze and smiles from ear to ear. Johan leans in to kiss me, but I pull away. We're in public, and I can't let anyone see me kissing another guy. It's not what my parents want, and it's not what people want to see. Homophobia still exists, and people don't know what to say or how to react. They're always watching others, ready to attack them in some way, and I hate that. I hate feeling observed when I want to show affection to the guy I like.

 Everything with Johan has always been very private, at my house or his. We go out together, but we never kiss or hug in public. Hugs can also be frowned upon. I've spent a lot of time thinking about what we could do in public, but undoubtedly the best option for a relationship like ours is to stay in enclosed places. I don't even want to think about how Vanessa would react if she saw us kissing in the street. I'm sure she would cry, scream at m