What should a straight high school junior do when he learns a gay guy in his grade has a crush on him? When JJ Brockwell stops a group of jocks from bullying comic book nerd Milton Katz, he finds himself the object of Milton’s misplaced affection. JJ wants to be his friend, but Milton wants more. JJ has a girlfriend named Maggie, who wants to wait before having sex. JJ respects this, but he’s 16 and cold showers only go so far. Maggie thinks Milton’s crush on her boyfriend is cute, but that doesn’t help with JJ’s problem. All Milton wants is JJ, and all JJ wants is Maggie. How can they find a solution to this impossible triangle?

Milton's Hero

It was obvious to JJ that Maggie’s attempts to get Milton and Steve talking were just as unsuccessful as his had been. And Milton was starting to get antsy. 


“I haven’t seen any of your work,” JJ put in when the conversation died yet again.


Milton looked alarmed, JJ could have kicked himself, hadn’t Maggie said his superhero character was based on him?


“Is your comic based on the X-Men?” Steve asked Milton.


JJ hoped the ice was starting to thaw. 


Steve cut into a pancake. “Does your hero have a mutant power?”


Maggie asked, “What is it? You never said.”


“I haven’t fully worked it out yet, but he has this force field of light that he can throw around people…it sort of protects them and makes everybody feel happy and…” He dried up and found something fascinating under one of the pieces of toast.


Chapter 18