During the Second Civil War, a new U.S. political party called the Family Protection Movement established The Divide, which separates Normal people from those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. Seventeen-year old Serenity Blackwater lives in the normal Midwestern town of Mapleville, but she is not normal. She hacks into an illegal gay chat room and meets Dawn, a lesbian who lives in a gay community less than a mile away. Serenity discovers normal people can bribe their way inside the walls and decides to go, both to meet Dawn and check out what may be her future home. Dawn is even more beautiful than Serenity hoped, and the two soon become a couple. But Serenity only has a few months before she must take the Normal Verification Test, and then she’ll be separated from her family forever. So she joins the Human Equality Organization, an underground group working to end The Divide. Dawn thinks the rebellion is too dangerous, and since Dawn’s ex-girlfriend Malaki is also a member, Serenity doesn’t tell Dawn about her involvement. Serenity reveals to the HEO that her parents are leading a campaign to organize attacks on all Gay Communities. With her help, the HEO creates Project Jericho, in which all Gay Communities walls will implode at once. But after too many delays, and when Dawn discovers Serenity has been spending more time with Malaki than her, Serenity knows she has to start the revolution herself. She heads to D.C. to contact a group of senators secretly against The Divide ... or straight into a trap set by the Family Protection Movement.

Uprising

“Do you guys want to come to the concert?” Malaki asked with a smile. “It’s Razor Burn, and they’re freaking awesome. I don’t think it’s sold out.”


I started to nod, but stopped when Dawn squinted at Malaki and put a hand on her hip.


“I think for now we’ll just hang out at the house. Serenity’s not even supposed to be here. I don’t want the guards to question her.”


“Oh, come on,” Malaki said. “Lighten up.”


Akasha shrugged. “It’s all right if you can’t go. We’ll see you guys later!”


Malaki gazed into my eyes. “Your loss. You’d have more fun if you came with us.”


My mouth dropped open, but no one else seemed to notice what she said, although Akasha did grip her by the arm.


“I hope Dex is at the concert,” Joy said as she walked away. “I think he’s so cute.”


As they left, I felt a sense of longing. I wondered what the concert would be like. Nothing I’d ever seen before, I was sure.


Then I turned to Dawn, and was content where I was.


Chapter 11