from a distance, Jamie,” Liasays. “It’s the characters—the gay characters. Kissing. It’s, like, wrong in so many—”
Michael stops her. “It’s not about making judgments; it’s about the future of Gumshoe . We got funding from the school, from taxpayers. They won’t like this story and we don’t need it—it’s just not that great.”
“A thousand dollars,” DeMarco says. “I looked it up.”
Forget gaining ground—I’m losing this battle. I see it all over Holland’s face. She’s about to wave a white flag, surrender to the masses. And I should have known; Eden told me about Lia’s not-exactly-accepting behavior last night.
“My parents are on the PTO,” Lia says, “and they won’t—”
I scramble for footing, try to find the right words. They fail me and I say, “Parents don’t read high school literary magazines.”
“True,” Lia agrees. “But they don’t have to read to see this!” She jabs her finger at the page where the boys are kissing.
This is when Dr. Taylor steps in. “Thank you, Jamie, for bringing this point up again. It was worth discussing. But I’m afraid the discussion is over.”
The others pack up their things and file out of the classroom. I watch them go, feeling like a wounded soldier left on the battlefield. Stupid. I can’t even think of the right thing to say. Even when I’m right.
Michael turns and gives me one last look, his hand on the doorframe. He takes a noisy breath, exhales. “Look, Jamie. I’m sorry.”
“I thought . . . ,” I start, but hesitate. “I thought you were, well . . .”
“Yeah, I know. I was in the GSA, so everyone, um, assumed things.”
“You’re in the GSA?” I echo, perking up a little.
“Was. To support my sister. But it wasn’t worth the hassle.”
I give him a questioning look.
“It was her club. She started it. When she graduated, I told her I’d go. But after a while, it got to be too much—the rumors, I mean.”
I nod. I get it. I believed those rumors. But there’s something I still don’t get. “But if you’re a straight ally, why don’t you want Challis’s story in Gumshoe ?”
“C’mon, Jamie. It’s not worth it. Take out the fact that it’s about two boys, and the story falls flat.”
“But it is about two boys,” I say.
“But it doesn’t mean it’s good.”
“I like it. I think it’s brave.”
“Okay, so you like it,” Michael says. “But it doesn’t mean it’s worth the trouble. I’ve seen the hatred—parents storming the school board meetings, waving signs, quoting Leviticus—that’s what happened when Nell started the GSA.”
We were in junior high when this was going on—not that I remember it clearly. I do remember my mom getting upset, talking about sending me to Boise High and not Lincoln. I didn’t understand why, exactly. Just that Mason was going to Lincoln and, damn it, that’s where I wanted to go.
Michael takes an audible breath. “It was horrible. Scary. I don’t want to go through that again. Not for some girl’s fan art.”
“I remember,” I say. “But why can’t we fight for this, too?”
“Because it’s fluff, Jamie. It’s not worth it.”
“It isn’t fluff. It’s a love story—about two people like your sister. Doesn’t your sister deserve a love story? Doesn’t everyone?” Don’t I?
“Yes,” Michael says, his face looking tired as he sniffles. “Just not in Gumshoe , okay?”
I get the feeling this isn’t going anywhere and I don’t argue.
UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE
HarperCollins Publishers
..................................................................
FIFTEEN
Tuesday starts off badly. Challis is waiting for me in the student parking lot before school. “I couldn’t talk them into it,” I say.
“Homophobic twerps,” she mumbles, and then asks, “That was the reason, right?”
“They thought parents might not like it, among other reasons.”
“Other reasons?”
“Well, someone
Michael stops her. “It’s not about making judgments; it’s about the future of Gumshoe . We got funding from the school, from taxpayers. They won’t like this story and we don’t need it—it’s just not that great.”
“A thousand dollars,” DeMarco says. “I looked it up.”
Forget gaining ground—I’m losing this battle. I see it all over Holland’s face. She’s about to wave a white flag, surrender to the masses. And I should have known; Eden told me about Lia’s not-exactly-accepting behavior last night.
“My parents are on the PTO,” Lia says, “and they won’t—”
I scramble for footing, try to find the right words. They fail me and I say, “Parents don’t read high school literary magazines.”
“True,” Lia agrees. “But they don’t have to read to see this!” She jabs her finger at the page where the boys are kissing.
This is when Dr. Taylor steps in. “Thank you, Jamie, for bringing this point up again. It was worth discussing. But I’m afraid the discussion is over.”
The others pack up their things and file out of the classroom. I watch them go, feeling like a wounded soldier left on the battlefield. Stupid. I can’t even think of the right thing to say. Even when I’m right.
Michael turns and gives me one last look, his hand on the doorframe. He takes a noisy breath, exhales. “Look, Jamie. I’m sorry.”
“I thought . . . ,” I start, but hesitate. “I thought you were, well . . .”
“Yeah, I know. I was in the GSA, so everyone, um, assumed things.”
“You’re in the GSA?” I echo, perking up a little.
“Was. To support my sister. But it wasn’t worth the hassle.”
I give him a questioning look.
“It was her club. She started it. When she graduated, I told her I’d go. But after a while, it got to be too much—the rumors, I mean.”
I nod. I get it. I believed those rumors. But there’s something I still don’t get. “But if you’re a straight ally, why don’t you want Challis’s story in Gumshoe ?”
“C’mon, Jamie. It’s not worth it. Take out the fact that it’s about two boys, and the story falls flat.”
“But it is about two boys,” I say.
“But it doesn’t mean it’s good.”
“I like it. I think it’s brave.”
“Okay, so you like it,” Michael says. “But it doesn’t mean it’s worth the trouble. I’ve seen the hatred—parents storming the school board meetings, waving signs, quoting Leviticus—that’s what happened when Nell started the GSA.”
We were in junior high when this was going on—not that I remember it clearly. I do remember my mom getting upset, talking about sending me to Boise High and not Lincoln. I didn’t understand why, exactly. Just that Mason was going to Lincoln and, damn it, that’s where I wanted to go.
Michael takes an audible breath. “It was horrible. Scary. I don’t want to go through that again. Not for some girl’s fan art.”
“I remember,” I say. “But why can’t we fight for this, too?”
“Because it’s fluff, Jamie. It’s not worth it.”
“It isn’t fluff. It’s a love story—about two people like your sister. Doesn’t your sister deserve a love story? Doesn’t everyone?” Don’t I?
“Yes,” Michael says, his face looking tired as he sniffles. “Just not in Gumshoe , okay?”
I get the feeling this isn’t going anywhere and I don’t argue.
UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE
HarperCollins Publishers
..................................................................
FIFTEEN
Tuesday starts off badly. Challis is waiting for me in the student parking lot before school. “I couldn’t talk them into it,” I say.
“Homophobic twerps,” she mumbles, and then asks, “That was the reason, right?”
“They thought parents might not like it, among other reasons.”
“Other reasons?”
“Well, someone
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