In the late 1950's, fourteen year old Philip Noland is a gay but sexually inexperienced freshman at St. Sebastian’s, a Catholic high school for boys. Alone and emotionally isolated, with the exception of two friends named O’Riley and Carlin, there are no familiar guideposts for Philip to follow, just an excess of rules and regulations that make no sense to him.<br><br>A late bloomer, Philip learns to masturbate effectively and fall in love for the first time, but his greatest challenge isn’t the regimented behavior at St. Sebastian’s -- it's surviving a bully named Molinara who has set his sights on Philip.<br><br>Can Philip navigate the minefields of St. Sebastian's and emerge victorious?

Boys Will Be Boys

O’Riley turned and winked at me, offering his silent support, and Carlin, if memory serves, flashed me a quick blessing, the sign of the cross, with his fingers. We always knew he’d be a priest one day. I wonder if he ever made it.


I looked around for my rust-colored binder. It wasn’t on my desk where I was sure I’d left it. Was it in my book satchel? Nope.


Molinara, who sat across from me, gave me a knowing look that turned into a sneer.


Chapter 7