“Ashamed? Of loving Dante?”

Ahh finally, RESOLUTION! I was beginning to feel the burden of Ari. The dead weight that he carried on his shoulders not only made him heavy but his readers too. His struggle at his own inner lie, Ari just would not let himself see his own truth. So, he lived and loved in misery. He even brought Dante to suffering, near the end. He said he couldn’t do it anymore. Couldn’t be friends with someone he was in love with. Dante had discovered his secret and greeted it with fervent acceptance. I think this troubled Ari the most. The fact that Dante was so okay with wanting to kiss other boys. The fact that Dante decided to quit lying to himself. How he then began to live his life according to that truth as well. Meanwhile, Ari is watching him in his happiness and new found freedom. Ari watches him and Ari wants to experience that with him. Only, he doesn’t even know it. Ari bottles emotions, tucks them in drawers and shuts them tight. Only he lives in a sort of confused agony in his own mind. Ashamed of so much. His thoughts, his natural body, and most of all his love for Dante. His resolve is a great feeling. Ari finally releases his pain and confusion and allows himself to understand. He takes his shame out of the equation and is left with his raw emotion, which he has no choice but to face. Ari finally takes a good long look in the mirror and sees with clear eyes the person he is. And he is free! Of the burdens of his love. At the end, he reminisces of his mother’s reaction,

“Ashamed? Of loving Dante?”