**Caught in the Act**

Nick woke up to the sound of his mother's voice, loud and furious, "NICOLAS WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" He groggily opened his eyes to see his mother standing in the doorway of his room, her phone in her hand and a look of shock and disgust on her face. Nick's heart sank as he realized what must have happened. He had left his phone on the coffee table in the living room, and his mother must have seen the messages between him and Max. He felt a wave of panic wash over him as he tried to process what was happening. "Uh, mom, I can explain," Nick stuttered, trying to sit up in bed and gather his thoughts. "Explain?" his mother repeated, her voice rising in indignation. "Explain this?!" She read from the phone, " 'Hey, babe. Just got out of class and I'm thinking about you. Can't wait to see you soon.' What is going on, Nicolas?" Nick sighed and rubbed his temples, trying to ward off the headache that was forming. He knew he had to come clean with his mother, but he was scared of her reaction. "Mom, I'm 25 years old," Nick started, trying to reason with her. "I'm an adult, and I'm allowed to make my own decisions and have my own relationships." His mother's expression turned from shock to anger. "Relationships? Nicolas, this is not a relationship, this is...this is..." She seemed to be searching for words, "this is filthy! You're exchanging...you're exchanging..." She couldn't bring herself to say the words. Nick got out of bed and walked over to his mother, trying to take the phone from her hand. "Mom, give me that," he said firmly. But his mother held on tight. "No, I want to know what's going on. Is this some kind of...some kind of experiment? Are you one of those...those..." She looked at him like he was a stranger. Nick took a deep breath and tried to explain. "Mom, I'm just...I'm just attracted to guys, okay? I'm gay." The room fell silent. Nick's mother looked like she had been punched in the gut. She took a step back, her eyes welling up with tears. "Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered. Nick felt a pang of guilt. He had been afraid of his mother's reaction, afraid of being rejected or judged. "I was scared," he admitted. "I didn't know how you would react." His mother looked at him, her eyes searching for answers. "I love you, Nicolas," she said finally. "But I need some time to process this." Nick nodded, feeling a mix of emotions. He was relieved that his mother still loved him, but he was also worried about what the future held. As his mother turned and walked out of the room, Nick couldn't help but think about Max and their planned reunion. Would his mother's reaction change things? He wasn't sure, but he knew he had to talk to Max and let him know what had happened.