Chapter 6

“I’m glad to hear they quit pickin’ on ya. You know, one of those guys was Jayson Laramie, right? Do you remember? He came out a couple of years ago.”

Kai seemed shocked and delighted. “Hedid?”

“Oh yeah. Dances on the Steamworks float in the Pride Parade every year now. Screaming queen.”

“I love it.”

“I bet most of the guys who had something to say about you are queer.”

“I’m sure a lot of them are. I guess that’s why I always sort of liked you. You gave off a bit of a vibe, you know? A lot of the gay boys knew about you. But you were always different.”

“I wasn’t that different. I was just as scared as most of those assholes. I just wasn’t a bully.”

“Well, in a school full of bullies, trust me, you stood out.”