“Welcome to the first meeting of the Shadow Valley High LGBTA support group.” Maggie beamed. She’d pushed half the desks off to the side and put the others in a circle in the middle of the room.
The girls Aiden had seen kissing in the hall were there. The dark-haired girl watched Aiden warily, like she was waiting for him to say or do something awful.
“Let’s go around the room,” Maggie said. “Everyone say your name, pronouns, and why you’re here.”
“Pronouns?” Aiden wondered what that had to do with anything. Maybe he’d misheard her. He was too focused on his breathing, trying to keep his anxiety under control. He wondered if he’d be able to eat any of his lunch.
Maggie had worked it out with the principal and Mr. Emery—who had ended up as their faculty advisor after all—and lunch was the best time to meet. It didn’t disrupt class, and they wouldn’t have to stay after school.
“Yes. I’ve been doing some studying and want to make sure we’re transgender and nonbinary inclusive. So it helps if we all say which pronouns we use—like she/her, he/him, they. I’ll go first.” She put a hand to her chest. “I’m Maggie Thornton, she/her. I started this group because I want everyone at Shadow Valley High to be comfortable being their true selves.”
From someone else it would sound cheesy, but Maggie really meant it. And leave it to her to do research. He should have gone looking for information himself. The few times he did look up bisexuality, he cleared out his browser history, but he was always paranoid his parents would find his search history and then he’d have to explain it.
Maggie turned to him and gestured that he should go next. Crap. “Uh, hi. I’m Aiden Spencer. I guess maybe you know that. I’m a him.” They were all looking at him, wondering why he was in this group. If he didn’t say something soon, they’d all think he was gay, and while that was half true, he wasn’t ready for other people to know. “And, um, I’m here because I’m an ally. Maggie convinced me it was important to have a group like this.” There, that last part was true.
“I’m Tiago Barros, and I’m gay.”
Aiden’s heart shot into his throat. They’d talked about this; he knew Tiago was planning to say it, but hearing it was still a shock. Many of the other kids looked surprised too, especially Kenzie.
Aiden, Tiago, and Maggie had discussed how Tiago’s presence might make people nervous. After his admission about hunting and eating people, a lot of kids were afraid or hostile toward him. But they had decided the benefits outweighed the risks. Someone as well-known as Tiago being open with the group might encourage others to be open as well.
“Pronouns,” Maggie said.
Tiago shifted in his seat, and only then did Aiden realize he was nervous. “I’m a he. So yeah, I’m here because I’m gay.”
They went around the circle. Two other kids said they were allies. Then they got to Kenzie. “I’m Kenzie. I’m a girl—she. And I’m a lesbian. I’m here because I think none of us should have to hide. There’s nothing wrong with me liking girls. If anyone doesn’t like it, they can kiss my dyke ass.”
Her girlfriend shook her head slightly, multicolored hair bouncing, but she was smiling. “I’m Ellie, also a she. I’m here because my girlfriend dragged me into it.” Still smiling, she leaned over to kiss Kenzie’s cheek. “I’m bisexual, by the way.”
The word zipped through Aiden. Someone like him. He needed to get her alone so they could talk. Would he be able to ask questions without her getting suspicious, or would it be better to just admit it? Could he trust her to keep it secret? He certainly liked the idea of talking to her more than talking to Kenzie. Ellie was more like him, and she was also… less intense than her girlfriend.
The last kid introduced himself and then took a deep breath. “I’m here because I’m gay. And I wish that wasn’t a big deal.”
“It shouldn’t be,” Kenzie said.
“And in this group, it won’t be,” Maggie said. “This is a safe space. Nothing we say here leaves this room, unless you get express permission from the person or persons involved, okay?”
They all nodded.
Maggie asked some light personal questions while they ate. What their favorite colors were, what their hobbies were, things like that. Aiden picked at his food. The whole time, he tried to gather the courage to stand up and tell them he was bi but never managed it.
Coward.
* * *
“Where are Aiden and Tiago?” Sakura asked.
Lunch had been going on for a while, and the other side of the table was still empty. Dylan knew they were at that LB-whatever group, but he couldn’t tell Sakura that. Why hadn’t it occurred to him that she and Izume would wonder where they were?
“They, uh…” What would be a good lie? “Have to work on some homework.”
“Why couldn’t they do that here?” Izume asked.
“Um… the lunchroom is too loud. They need to concentrate.” Yeah, that sounded believable.
“I thought you guys all worked on your homework together.” Sakura swirled a chicken nugget in her ketchup.
Dylan grunted. “That was before warden training.” Which wasn’t a lie at all. More than half their after-school time was spent in that stupid training. And six hours on Saturday, which was just cruel.
“What’s the deal with that anyway? You hate the wardens.”
Anger rose in his throat, and Dylan choked it back down. “You were there. Those extremists attacked kids. They’re worse than wardens. I want to make sure none of them can hurt any of us ever again.” That was true enough. He’d made his choice when he captured Mrs. Rhodes instead of letting her kill Warden Bully.
Izume leaned on the table to see around Sakura. “Aiden talked you into it, didn’t he?”
More like Dylan’s idiocy had forced Aiden into it. “Sort of.”
“That’s what I thought. Your bromance is so adorable.”
“We’re not… It’s…” Dylan couldn’t think of anything to say. He didn’t want to seem homophobic even when Aiden wasn’t around. And especially considering where Aiden was right now.
I wish he’d come out and just get it over with.
Izume laughed. “I’m just teasing.”
“But it is good that you have such a close friend,” Sakura said. “You closed yourself off for so long.”
Dylan shrugged. He’d been a different person then and had convinced himself he wasn’t lonely. It was only after Aiden came into his life that he’d realized how deep his loneliness had been.
“Guys get so weird about this stuff.” Izume sipped her can of Sunkist. “Oh no! Feelings!” She rolled her eyes.
Sakura nudged her. “Quit bugging him.”
“I’m just teasing.” Izume bit a nugget in half. “So what’s warden training like anyway? All you’ve said is how much you hate Warden Bully teaching you.” Izume and Sakura had taken to using Dylan’s nickname for him.
“Rules and Regulations. The worst class with the worst teacher.” And lucky Dylan got to deal with it twice a week. “But Defense and Restraint isn’t so bad. It’s kinda like gym. We learn to protect against different kinds of magic. Nichols teaches it.” So far she’d kept her word about protecting the school too. Nichols hadn’t harassed Dylan or his friends even once.
“No wonder you’ve gotten better in gym.” Izume eyed him. “That’s kind of cheating, isn’t it?”
“Is not!”
“Though I guess it makes up for you sucking last year.”
“Hey!” Sakura punched her friend in the shoulder.
“You’re just mad I kicked your ass yesterday,” Dylan said to cover the sting. He’d struggled the year before, his confidence in his magic shaken. On the advice of Ms. Yang and Aiden, he’d gone to the counselor, and that had helped. Fighting the extremists last year had helped too.
Izume glared and jabbed a finger at him. “I’ll get you next time.”
“Wanna go right now?”
Sakura laughed. “Maybe you can finish eating first?”
“Maybe Ms. Yang will let us have a grudge match.”
“And I’ll fight the winner.” Sakura looked between them with a grin.
A flash of desire went through Dylan, and he pulled her into a kiss. Sakura was sorta perfect.