Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
“I’ve always been better at understanding how things work or fit together.” I shrugged. “Why are you so good at the fine arts?”
“Touché.”
“Which reminds me. Bones said his roommate Emil is in dance with you. Plus, I recognize him from the marching band.”
“Yep. He’s a good guy. He puts up with Bones’s messiness, so I figure he’s a saint.”
I laughed. “I hear you.”
“Is there a reason Bones mentioned that?” Lark arched a brow. “I thought we were ignoring each other.”
“They saw you greet me on the first day, and I told them we knew each other from middle school.”
“Ah, that explains it.”
“Explains what?”
“Why Bones asked me how I knew you.” He scoffed. “As if he didn’t already know.”
I sucked in a breath. “What did you say?”
“Relax. Jesus, you worry too much. Nobody’s gonna figure out the connection unless you tell them. Besides, I was able to get out of answering, thanks to Emil.”
“Are you and Emil…” I trailed off, but he got the gist.
“What? No! Where did you get that idea? Oh. Let me guess, Bones? Ugh, you’re all the same.”
My stomach tightened. “What does that mean?”
“The idea that all male dancers are effeminate and gay. It might be true in my case, but not in every case.”
Holy shit, had he just admitted…
“You’re right, and it sucks.” My chest was throbbing. “For the record, I’ve been pushing back every time I hear that bullshit.”
“Why is that? You an ally or something?”
“An ally?” I was trying to get my thoughts to line up after that bombshell, but it was difficult. Still, I didn’t want him to get the wrong idea. “Well, yeah, but also…I get it.”
“How do you mean?” He studied me for a beat. “You’re queer too?”
“Holy shit, keep your voice down.” I gripped his arm and glanced over his shoulder, but no one was paying us any attention.
“Jesus, you’re a walking heart attack.” He slid his arm from my grasp. “And I thought I had some hang-ups.”
I clenched my jaw. “Suppose our struggles are different.”
I hadn’t actually admitted it aloud to him, but he figured out my sexuality anyway, and somehow that brought me relief—that someone knew. That he knew.
“You can say that again. I have too much to worry about other than being gay.”
“Like what?”
“Like keeping my scholarship so I can graduate. And helping my mom with my sister when she works nights so she doesn’t have to use daycare or a babysitter. Money is tight as it is.” A wash of color inched across his cheeks as if he hadn’t meant to say all that. Or maybe just that last part about money.
Instead of focusing on that, I said, “I didn’t even know you had a sister. Cool. Does your stepdad—”
“He walked out on us, so…” He looked away.
I supposed the money thing made more sense now. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“So yeah, I’m worried about keeping afloat. I don’t have time to worry about my sexuality even if the stereotypes do rub me the wrong way.”
“I’m sorry my predicament sounds ridiculous to you.”
Lark sighed. “No, I’m sorry. That was rude of me. But how could I not be when just a few weeks ago, you didn’t even want to acknowledge me?”
“I…that was shitty of me. I let my fear get in the way,” I replied, and his glum expression seemed to brighten. “Maybe we could be friends.”
“Maybe.” He smirked. “What will you tell your elite friends? What if I wear something, God forbid, with a low thread count?”
I rolled my eyes. There was that sarcasm again. But could I blame him, when I’d been pretending he didn’t exist?
“There’s no reason we can’t be friends—or at least civil to each other. The truth is, we went through something important together and I’m glad to get to know you again, now as an adult.” I chewed my lip. “And I know you won’t betray my trust. How, I’m not sure; just do.”
“Hope it goes both ways.”
Did he mean because of his family situation? He’d already made it clear he didn’t care if people knew he was gay.
“Yeah, of course.” When I smiled, Lark seemed relieved. “Guess we should get back to work.”
7
LARK
I exited the bus and walked the block to the university’s entrance, still reeling that Henry had admitted in his own way that he was gay. I’d often wondered over the years if that goodbye kiss freaked him out. He certainly didn’t act grossed out at the time, only shocked and sort of shy afterward. Now I wondered if he knew even back then. Likely not a conversation we’d ever have, but maybe his desire for us to be friendly was real.
I didn’t think Henry would tell his friends about our conversation and my family’s money issues because then he’d have to admit to talking to me. Not that they couldn’t figure it out themselves. Some days I still felt I stuck out like a sore thumb. After all, my clothes, book bag, and supplies weren’t sparkling new. Even my laptop was a hand-me-down and barely functional. Thankfully, the school had free Wi-Fi.