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

“Let’s see what you’ve got, Mr. Noland,” Molinara said.


“Yeah, drop the towel, queer, I wanna see what’s so special.” Richards tugged on my towel but I pushed him away.


I didn’t know what to do. I was scared, embarrassed, and physically afraid of these taller, more aggressive kids. I tried to ignore them and get on with dressing. But there was the issue of the towel. I’d have to take it off at some point. I opened my locker and pulled out my cords and shirt. I felt another, stronger, tugging at the back of my towel and then it slipped down to the floor. I tried to cover myself, what Mother called, my privates, but Molinara’s arm reached around and restrained me. The boy was strong. It was no use. They were now staring down at my penis.


“Yeah, not much you can do with that,” the bully from Twelve Angry Mensaid. “Even on a good day.”


Chapter 12