right?”
“We’re not gay,” Taryn repeats, matter-of-factly. “My boyfriend goes to public school, Simone just has the hobbies of her grandma, and Christina’s into the undead, so that kind of limits her dating options.” I start to sweat.
“Oh my God.” I cover my face with my hands. It was one thing when I thought I was confiding to “my people,” but I’m left with the scary realization that I’m alone—and exposed.
“Hey, it’s okay. There’s no reason to be ashamed!” Simone says, coming to my side. “I’ve got two moms and I love them both. I know tons of gay people and they have well-adjusted lives. Well, except for Uncle Bill. He has those larceny charges . . . But otherwise there’s nothing to worry about.”
My hands are still over my face. I’m not ready to look at any of them yet.
“We won’t tell anyone. Right, girls?” says Simone.
“Christ, since when did tech crew turn into the Oprah show?” says Taryn. “Look, Leila, high school sucks for everybody. We know what that’s like, so we’re not going to say anything.” I uncover my face and look at the group.
“There are a lot of gay vampires,” Christina says with a shrug. I suppose that’s her idea of comforting.
“Thanks. I just haven’t figured it all out yet. Maybe it’s just a phase,” I say timidly.
“Sure,” Taryn says, rolling her eyes. “A phase.”
“Can we talk about something else, please?” I beseech them.
“Well, whatever you’re going through, it’s cool with us,” Christina says. The girls nod and we go back to work. I like keeping busy and focusing on the task at hand. I feel like I have people I can talk to, and that’s more than I ever thought I would get out of stage-managing.
“Do you know this music?” Saskia asks as I sit on her sofa, listening to the odd singing with a smooth background. She invited me over to her house after rehearsal. Her parents are out to dinner with friends. I had to call and beg my mom after the whole skipping school fiasco, but she acquiesced when I told her Tess would be there and we would study. Tess isn’t here, of course. Yes, I lied. “It’s the Ethiopiques. Afro jazz from a while ago. Who knows what they’re saying, but it sounds great, doesn’t it?”
I nod and keep sipping the wine Saskia has poured for us. We’re sitting a few feet apart.
“I’m so nervous for the play,” Saskia goes on. “Everyone seems fairly well-prepared. It’s just that something about Tess playing Cesario puts me off.”
“Oh?” I say, sipping my wine, trying to look sophisticated, though I can feel that my cheeks are as red as a bag of Twizzlers.
“I don’t know what it is. She just has no personality and tries so hard. I’d encourage her to take private acting lessons, but she probably couldn’t afford it.” It’s quiet for a moment while I pretend she didn’t say what she did.
“I think you would have made a great Cesario, Leila. Too bad Tess didn’t get sick or anything,” Saskia says.
“I think she’s doing a pretty good job.”
“But it’s so hard to pretend to fall in love with her. If
you
were in the part I’d have no trouble at all.”
I look at Saskia wide-eyed and she radiates. She’s probably just being friendly.
“More wine?” she asks. I nod and she pours me another glass.
“Is Tomas coming?” I ask, kind of hoping he is so I can stop feeling so nervous.
“No. I thought we’d just have a girls’ night this time.”
What is happening?
“You’ve been such a good friend lately. I want to hear about what’s going on in your life,” she says.
“I’m, um . . . I’m failing science.”
“You’ll be fine. I’m sure we can find test answers for you. Or we can blackmail Mr. Harris. Or seduce him. He is cute. I’m sure it wouldn’t be too difficult.”
I stare at her in disbelief.
“Oh, I’m kidding. You should see your face. You take everything so literally.” Saskia turns on the TV and flips through
“We’re not gay,” Taryn repeats, matter-of-factly. “My boyfriend goes to public school, Simone just has the hobbies of her grandma, and Christina’s into the undead, so that kind of limits her dating options.” I start to sweat.
“Oh my God.” I cover my face with my hands. It was one thing when I thought I was confiding to “my people,” but I’m left with the scary realization that I’m alone—and exposed.
“Hey, it’s okay. There’s no reason to be ashamed!” Simone says, coming to my side. “I’ve got two moms and I love them both. I know tons of gay people and they have well-adjusted lives. Well, except for Uncle Bill. He has those larceny charges . . . But otherwise there’s nothing to worry about.”
My hands are still over my face. I’m not ready to look at any of them yet.
“We won’t tell anyone. Right, girls?” says Simone.
“Christ, since when did tech crew turn into the Oprah show?” says Taryn. “Look, Leila, high school sucks for everybody. We know what that’s like, so we’re not going to say anything.” I uncover my face and look at the group.
“There are a lot of gay vampires,” Christina says with a shrug. I suppose that’s her idea of comforting.
“Thanks. I just haven’t figured it all out yet. Maybe it’s just a phase,” I say timidly.
“Sure,” Taryn says, rolling her eyes. “A phase.”
“Can we talk about something else, please?” I beseech them.
“Well, whatever you’re going through, it’s cool with us,” Christina says. The girls nod and we go back to work. I like keeping busy and focusing on the task at hand. I feel like I have people I can talk to, and that’s more than I ever thought I would get out of stage-managing.
“Do you know this music?” Saskia asks as I sit on her sofa, listening to the odd singing with a smooth background. She invited me over to her house after rehearsal. Her parents are out to dinner with friends. I had to call and beg my mom after the whole skipping school fiasco, but she acquiesced when I told her Tess would be there and we would study. Tess isn’t here, of course. Yes, I lied. “It’s the Ethiopiques. Afro jazz from a while ago. Who knows what they’re saying, but it sounds great, doesn’t it?”
I nod and keep sipping the wine Saskia has poured for us. We’re sitting a few feet apart.
“I’m so nervous for the play,” Saskia goes on. “Everyone seems fairly well-prepared. It’s just that something about Tess playing Cesario puts me off.”
“Oh?” I say, sipping my wine, trying to look sophisticated, though I can feel that my cheeks are as red as a bag of Twizzlers.
“I don’t know what it is. She just has no personality and tries so hard. I’d encourage her to take private acting lessons, but she probably couldn’t afford it.” It’s quiet for a moment while I pretend she didn’t say what she did.
“I think you would have made a great Cesario, Leila. Too bad Tess didn’t get sick or anything,” Saskia says.
“I think she’s doing a pretty good job.”
“But it’s so hard to pretend to fall in love with her. If
you
were in the part I’d have no trouble at all.”
I look at Saskia wide-eyed and she radiates. She’s probably just being friendly.
“More wine?” she asks. I nod and she pours me another glass.
“Is Tomas coming?” I ask, kind of hoping he is so I can stop feeling so nervous.
“No. I thought we’d just have a girls’ night this time.”
What is happening?
“You’ve been such a good friend lately. I want to hear about what’s going on in your life,” she says.
“I’m, um . . . I’m failing science.”
“You’ll be fine. I’m sure we can find test answers for you. Or we can blackmail Mr. Harris. Or seduce him. He is cute. I’m sure it wouldn’t be too difficult.”
I stare at her in disbelief.
“Oh, I’m kidding. You should see your face. You take everything so literally.” Saskia turns on the TV and flips through
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