For Dave Felder, his junior year of high school starts with a move from his small hometown to a larger city. With the new home comes a new school, East Leyden High. He isn't the least bit reluctant to leave his old school. Once popular and well-liked, things changed when he was outed to his fellow students. A new school gives him a fresh start, where no one knows him or his secret. Tall, handsome, and athletic, he soon finds himself surrounded by new friends, the popularity he once lost regained. But he doesn't count on meeting someone who brings out the feelings he hoped to keep buried inside. Someone like Ricky. Once these feelings surface, Dave has to make a choice -- continue to hide who he really is and protect his popularity, or be true to himself.

Ricky

Dave was feeling good about another thing, too. Ricky was slowly beginning to see some logic to the math they were studying. Dave was proud of his student.


When the bell rang one Friday afternoon at the end of peer tutoring Ricky stood and started putting his stuff away.


Dave said, “Hey, how about pizza tonight? See you at Pete’s about seven? How about trying the anchovies this time? They really won’t kill you, you know.”


“Well,” Ricky replied, “Um…well…”


“Come on, man, anchovies aren’t that bad,” Dave teased.


“It’s not that. I don’t know if you’d want to do this but…well…my mom asked me to invite you to dinner at our house tonight. She says she’d like to say thanks for helping me so much and…” Ricky looked up with a shy smile, “being my friend.” He looked away quickly and added, “But I’d understand if you didn’t want to do that.”


“Shit, man, why wouldn’t I? Yes, I’d like to come to your house for dinner and meet your family. That’d be great.”


Chapter 9