Stories

At fifteen CJ Abelló is exiled from his home in Miami because of his sexual orientation and sent to live in Washington, D.C. with his gay father and his father’s wealthy partner. Over the next few years, CJ flourishes in his new home thanks to the love and guidance provided by the two men and their group of friends. He is nearing graduation from School Without Walls High School, ready to begin his freshman year at Georgetown University, and volunteering in the 2016 presidential campaign.

If life was there for the taking, then it might look a lot like Kay Walker’s life. A good family with liberal and accepting attitudes, doing impressively well at college both on and off the field, a big circle of friends, and a promising future.

Of course, there are a couple of problems with this picture. Firstly, it wouldn’t make a very interesting story. And secondly, perhaps more importantly, it’s not quite true. Or at least, it’s not the whole picture.

Devin has graduated and made it to the school of his dreams. As he grows more comfortable with himself, he has to learn what it means to be in a long-distance relationship and to finally be on his own. With new friends and rivals, how will Devin navigate what it means to be a gay athlete, or will he give up his sports career to protect himself from homophobic abuse?

The Last Out is the story of seventeen year old Devin Williams, an athlete whose deepest secret threatens to shatter the life he’s created for himself. Devin is what everyone expects of him in small town Washington; he’s an athlete, he gets good grades and he helps out around the house with his father. When a run-in with the school baseball team’s catcher goes terribly wrong and sets into motion a series of events, Devin must decide how to face his fears and biases.