Chapter 32

The yard needed trimming, and Brian thought Jim could make the place shine. It suffered from overgrown vines and bushes, an anemic lawn, and plants that seemed out of place. Jim was there with everyone else but Lou and Marsha.

Cindy asked Brian about some stupid school stuff, then faced him and stole a kiss. She giggled, pulled back, and leaned in again, but when Brian didn’t do the same, she turned her head into his shoulder. Automatically Brian put a hand on her back as he caught Jim’s gaze. The others watched.

“I’m sorry, Cindy, I’m not real experienced.”

“Don’t you like me?”

“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have come over. I just, well—”

“Well what?”

His dad’s words came to him about not being ashamed of who or what he was. “Cindy, you’re really cool and I respect you.” A long, awkward silence followed. “It’s just that, I’m not into girls.”

She gasped. “I heard rumors but didn’t believe them. Well, then isn’t Jim the same way? You two are close.”