Chapter 27

“Are you or anyone in your company gay?” she asked.

“Well, um,” I answered.

“You’re notgay?” she asked.

“What? I don’t know,” I answered as she got closer.

“What about you and that nice Jeff fellow?” she was standing her ground and calling me out.

“What?” I answered, even though my mind was shouting, “Do you really think there’s a chance for me with him? Holy shit! Is he really into men? Into me?” I hoped, but I didn’t know for sure. It was all so foreign to me since I’ve never thought about liking or not liking someone, never thought about girlfriends, much less boyfriends. Having Mrs. W notice made me feel like someone had slapped me upside the head with a two-by-four.

We stood close together, nearly touching, me staring at our feet in the early-morning dew. I didn’t know what to tell her. My mind was a swirling swarm of thoughts, each flittering by so quickly I couldn’t make it come into focus before another took its place.

Then I felt her hand on my arm.