Strive - 2. Chapter 2 - Freshman Year, Second Semester

The first weeks of winter break past smoothly. Connor heard nothing from either Sophie or Justin—both of them at least had his e-mail, and he checked it every other day.

 

Connor’s family lived about a two-hour drive away, closer to the mountains. He arrived to visit his family a few days before Christmas, and spent through the New Year with them. January second Connor drove back home and began to unwind there. He sprawled out on the couch and tried to let the fuzz clear out of his head.

 

It was only late afternoon when Connor’s phone burst out with a loud ring tone, jolting him out of shock. He fumbled to pick up his phone, still a little groggy from the days spent celebrating. An unknown number was displayed on the caller ID. Connor groaned and hit the answer button before pressing it to his ear. “Hello?”

 

“Mr. Lewis?” Justin’s voice cracked emotionally over the phone.

 

Connor straightened up on the couch and ran a hand down his face, trying to wake up. “Hey, Justin. What’s up?”

 

Justin didn’t answer right away. “Can we meet up?” He asked softly.

 

Connor could hear voices echoing in the background, and figured Justin was at home. Still, he wasn’t risking any ‘secret’ meetings with a student outside of school. “Listen, can you get a ride to the coffee shop over by school, or do you need a ride?”

 

“I can… I can get there myself. Just give me like an hour,” Justin mumbled into the phone.

 

Connor hung up and sunk back into the couch with a sigh. Justin hadn’t sounded in that good of a mood. Connor tried to take up an hours worth of time by mingling around his house and unpacking, but was too worried that something might be wrong.

 

He ended up arriving to the coffee shop a good fifteen minutes early, though Justin wasn’t there yet. Connor bought himself a hot tea and a cup of hot chocolate. He found a table in the corner that watched the door.

 

Justin came in almost an hour after he’d called, bundled up for the cold weather. He had a solid black knit cap pulled over his head and ears, and a matching scarf wrapped around his neck. He seemed to have a bit more style than at school, almost feminine.

 

“Here,” Connor said and held out the warm hot chocolate. Justin accepted it and sat across the table from Connor.

 

Justin slouched down in the seat, eyes fixed down on the drink between his hands. “Sorry,” Justin spoke up, nose and cheeks red from the cold. “I probably shouldn’t be calling you out like this.”

 

“Are you okay?” Connor brushed aside Justin’s apprehension on talking and pressed the more important issue.

 

Justin shrugged and ducked his head lower. “I just feel like shit.”

 

“Tired?” Connor asked.

 

“No,” Justin sighed. “Just shitty holidays. I hate them. I hate celebrating them.”

 

“What happened?” Connor propped his elbows up on the table, waiting for more of an explanation.

 

“Christmas is just… hell. My mom had me on Christmas Eve, and my dad got me Christmas Day. I mean my mom’s went all right… got some TV shows on DVD. I went over to my dad’s at ten, which is the set exchange time, but…” Justin paused and frowned. “It’s stupid.”

 

“It’s not stupid if you’re so upset about it,” Connor coaxed gently.

 

Justin let out another frustrated sigh. “They couldn’t wait for me to open presents. I just felt like shit, sitting there and being the only one opening presents all by myself because they couldn’t fucking wait for me—” Justin bit his lip and broke down into tears. “And so all I wanted to do was watch the shows my mom gave me, but my stepsister wouldn’t let me borrow her portable DVD player for one night… I called her a spoiled brat, and I got in trouble.”

 

“Well maybe you shouldn’t have called her that…” Connor pointed out.

 

“They have everything. I mean the house is huge, and they have all these electronics that are way outside either of my parents budget… They are spoiled. The oldest one told people I was gay just because she thought I should be open about it. Now she doesn’t do anything when I get harassed.” Justin scowled angrily.

 

Connor shifted in his seat, trying to think of something useful to say. His parents had never divorced, but Connor knew enough that Justin couldn’t just go back to his mom’s on a whim.

 

Instead they just sat there for a while, not speaking. Justin took some time to calm down from crying, wiping at his eyes and showing no intention of wanting to go home any time soon. Connor stirred his straw in his tea listlessly, just providing company and thinking.

 

“Would you ever hurt yourself?” Connor asked carefully. Maybe Justin was in that kind of mood.

 

Justin hesitated in answering, but then he only shrugged. Connor focused on the teen for a few seconds, and Justin guiltily tucked his hands under the table and in his lap.

 

“Justin,” Connor snapped and leaned over the table. “Show me right now.”

 

Justin collapsed into tears again, huddling over the table. Connor slid out of his seat and went around the table, crouching next to Justin’s seat. “C’mon,” Connor urged. “Show me.”

 

Justin shrugged his coat off and slowly rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. Wrists upturned, a number of fresh cuts were on Justin’s left wrist—accompanied by scars as well. Connor swore under his breath and stood up. He was supposed to report this, but they didn’t go back to school for another two days. He patted over his pockets, feeling his keychain there.

 

“We’re going to stop by the school,” Connor said and stood up. Justin watched him carefully but didn’t move. “Justin, come on. I have to tell your parents about this.”

 

“Why?” Justin croaked desperately.

 

“I’m required to report this, as part of my job,” Connor explained. “First thing I told you was that everything was confidential, except harming yourself or others.”

 

Justin took some more convincing before following Connor out into the parking lot. They took a short drive over to the school, where Connor let them in and went back to his office. Justin curled up in one of the armchairs, and Connor started to look up information on the computer.

 

He sent e-mails to both of Justin parent’s, and called them both. Only Justin’s mom answered, and she agreed to come and pick him up from the school. Connor did a few more things on the computer before turning to look at a still distraught Justin.

 

“I’m sorry,” Justin murmured and covered his face with his hands.

 

Connor sighed and rolled over in his chair. “It’s alright. We’ll get this figured out, okay?”

 

Justin showed no signs of agreement. Connor walked the teen out to stand just inside the doors of the school, until his mother’s car pulled up in the car lane. She hurried to meet Justin at the doors and wrapped him into a tight hug. Justin went stiff in her arms before starting to cry again. His mother glanced up at Connor, observing from a few distance away.

 

“I’ll see you Monday,” Connor called out as Justin and his mother headed for the car.

 

Justin nodded curtly over his shoulder before climbing into the car.

 

***

 

Monday came around, and Sophie was the first to show up. With a new schedule, her off period was earlier in the morning, so she didn’t have lunch with Justin anymore. She went on about her break and everything she had gotten for Christmas before thinking to ask about Justin. “He still has the first lunch period, doesn’t he?”

 

“Yes, but I saw him the other day. He had a rough break,” Connor informed vaguely.

 

Sophie scowled and pulled out her phone, starting to text Justin. Whatever conversation the two had, she didn’t let Connor in on it. At the end of her off period, Sophie promised she would be back for lunch before leaving.

 

Justin showed up an hour later for the start of his lunch period. He snuck in behind Connor, who was on the phone with another school. Connor finished that up and got up from his chair to close the door. Justin shrunk back in his seat, staring down at his lap without a word.

 

“How are things going?” Connor eased back into his chair.

 

“Mom freaked out,” Justin mumbled. “Not in a bad way. I’m not grounded or anything, but she’s pissed at my dad. Says part of the reason is because of the environment over at his place. She’s filing for full custody.”

 

“Good thing or bad thing, for you?” Connor asked.

 

“Good, I guess. I don’t really like being at his place or him at all… I just didn’t think I had much of a say in it. Custody has been set since I was nine,” Justin explained quietly. “And Sophie has a different off hour this semester.”

 

“Yes, she was in earlier.” Connor said. “How is your father taking it?” He wanted to stay more on subject with what was going on in Justin’s home life.

 

Justin huffed impatiently, obviously wanting to talk about something else. “I don’t know. He was pissed. But he’s not…” he sighed and ran a hand over the back of his neck. “He’s not even trying to get custody of me. Not so that I live with him. He says he still wants to see me, but…”

 

“You want him to be trying for custody? I thought you didn’t like it over there,” Connor pointed out.

 

“I don’t. But he should be picking me over that bimbo wife and her two dipshit daughters. Not being okay with the fact I can’t stand it,” Justin spat out angrily. He stopped and sunk back into the seat, slightly embarrassed for his outburst. “Sorry.”

 

Connor shrugged and gave an encouraging smile. “It’s better to get it out now though, right?”

 

“Yeah, but I don’t want to talk about it,” Justin complained moodily.

 

“Alright, something else then. How’s the bullying been going? I know it’s only been a day, but…” Connor left the rest open.

 

Justin gave him an affronted look. “It’s not bullying. Bullying is for little kids. I’m not a kid, and it’s not a kid problem.”

 

Connor noted that mentally. “Harassment, then?”

 

Justin shrugged. “I haven’t seen them much today. Maybe they have a different off hour now, like Sophie…” Which meant he might be able to go out and walk off campus, like everyone else—not holing up in a counselor’s office every day during lunch. And without Sophie there, it just wasn’t as fun. Mr. Lewis wanted him to talk, and Sophie wasn’t there to prevent any of it.

 

After that the conversation died off, Connor went back to working at his computer while Justin picked at his sack lunch. Without Sophie the room seemed oddly quiet.

 

Connor glanced over at the still shut door to his office, remembering what the principal had warned him of last semester—specifically being alone with Justin, since they were both… Sighing, Connor hauled himself up from his chair and propped open the door.

 

It’s not like he thought of doing anything like that to a student—and he doubted many straight teachers got the same warning. He glared down at the “Safe Place” sign in the window, with the rainbow background. Every counselor’s window had it, but hell, he more than anyone could be helpful with sexuality in high school.

 

Connor frowned and went back to his computer, leaving Justin to himself in the chair.

 

***

 

A week later, and Connor had a new sign posted up on his window. It no longer had the stereotypical rainbow on it, though still had the words “safe place”—and listed every other type of problem he could think of. Gay, lesbian, transgender, questioning, abuse, self-mutilation, homelessness, and the list went on.

 

Sophie paused outside his office and admired it for a minute or two before coming in for her off period. Connor couldn’t help but notice that while Justin seemed more free during lunch, coming in less, Sophie was coming in more often.

 

“What’s up?” Connor asked casually, as Sophie didn’t look happy. She gave her best death glare and flopped down into one of the armchairs. “Are you not talking to me, or are you just pissed?” Connor tried again.

 

“Fucking pissed,” Sophie snapped. “The girl I asked out last semester has this same off hour, and I can’t go anywhere with out her and her new beau tracking me down and talking very loudly behind my back or something. Hell, I’m not butch!” She shrieked. “Not all fucking lesbians are butch! Do I look butch to you?” She pointed at herself—all long hair and make-up.

 

Connor shook his head, staying quiet and letting her blow off some steam. She ranted for a good ten minutes, how just because she was lesbian didn’t mean she had to look like one. Finally she fell silent and pulled out a morning snack from her bag. “Stupid mother-fuckers,” she grumbled before starting to bite off the heads of fruit gummies.

 

After what Justin had done, Connor was almost tempted to ask if she had hurt herself over any of this. She seemed so strong willed though, but still, he had to. “Have you ever hurt yourself over any of it?” Connor asked carefully.

 

Sophie snapped her eyes over to him, scowling. “Hell no,” she stated firmly. “Just because Justin did, doesn’t mean I will. My mom is at least cool with me.”

 

“His parent’s don’t accept him?” Connor inferred. He figured the home problems he had been having were just from trying to blend families… at least for the most part.

 

Sophie seemed to realize what she had implied and lowered her eyes guiltily. “I think his mom is still coming to terms with it, but his dad is just a dick. I don’t know much about his step-family though, he doesn’t like to talk about them.”

 

“So he talks to you about his family?” As if it wasn’t obvious—but some of this was new to Connor, meaning Justin hadn’t been completely open. Maybe there was still a rift between talking to a counselor and a friend?

 

“Yeah, couple of times,” Sophie answered slowly, trying to debate in her head just how much to share. “He’s spent a couple nights at my house. My mom lets him sleep over ‘cause he’s gay. She claims to have ‘gay-dar’ and all—but I think she got the idea mostly because he’s a little girly.” Sophie chuckled fondly at the topic.

 

Sophie stopped and looked up, out the open door. There was another girl across the hall, leaning outside the adjacent counselor’s office door in wait. She looked away once she’d been caught, but Connor got up and shut the door. “Sorry,” he said.

 

“Hell, I didn’t shut it when I came in.” Sophie shrugged it off. “Reed still giving you a hard time about being ‘alone’ with students?”

 

“She’s not giving me a hard time,” Connor protested. “She warned me, once. Now I’m just paranoid about it.”

 

“Because people are prejudice because you’re gay and in a school,” Sophie added and nailed it.

 

Connor said nothing and pretended to be interested in his desk. Sophie was not the one supposed to be leading these conversations. He was the adult, and he was the one there to help her figure out her problems, not his own.

 

“I say you put a sticky-note up, on your window.” Sophie pointed in the general direction.

 

“Do you know how many parents will have a problem with that?” Connor explained. “This school has a lot of religion in it—mostly Mormon—and sorry, but I have to say that’s where a lot of yours and Justin’s trouble is coming from. Parent’s are going to be three times worse.”

 

Sophie started at him for a second. “What’s Mormon?”

 

Connor rolled his eyes and couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s about eighty-percent of this school, and very anti-gay.”

 

“I thought they lived in those compounds with the multiple wives.” Sophie drew an invisible uni-brow on her face.

 

Connor laughed again while shaking his head and trying to stop. It wasn’t professional to be talking about religion at all in school. He managed to straighten out after a minute and go to work, while Sophie seemed less upset than when she first came in.

 

***

 

The next day, Connor had a new face in his office. It took him a while to place her, but she was the girl standing across the hall when he and Sophie had been talking the day before. She realized she’d been recognized and looked guilty about it.

 

She didn’t say anything at first, just like when Justin came in. Connor opened up with the same line. “What’s your name?” he asked as he got up to close the door. Screw the warning from Reed—if there were a real problem with it, she would let him know.

 

“Melissa,” the girl answered carefully. “Sorry, but you seem… cooler than my other counselor.” She gestured across the hallway. That alone tipped Connor off that it was probably sexuality related in someway.

 

He surreptitiously studied her, wondering if this was someone Sophie might date—they seemed to run in the same clothing store, though Melissa’s hair was a chocolate brown and curly. She picked at her nails for a bit, and then switched to biting them.

 

“What’s up?” Justin pressed.

 

She glanced over at him, still not talking.

 

He tried again. “What makes you think I’m better than your other counselor?”

 

“You were talking with that girl about… gay things,” Melissa pointed out unsurely. “My dad—” she stopped and sighed. “My mom and dad are getting a divorce because my dad says he’s gay.” She shot Connor a look, overwhelmed with confusion. “Shit,” she said and hopped up from the seat. “Never mind.” She bolted for the door and was out before Connor could stop her.

 

He frowned, not happy that she had run. What did she think he was going to do—call her dad a fag? Connor turned to his computer and tried to look her up, but there were a number of girls named Melissa in the school. Scrolling through their yearbook pictures helped, until he found the right one and had a pass sent down for her.

 

She never came, though.

 

Connor tried a few more times over the next two weeks, but Melissa never showed up.

 

***

 

Connor waited around for Sophie to show up during her off-hour. He checked her attendance after a while, but she’d been marked present for all of her morning classes. She had been coming in daily, no matter what. Connor didn’t have to be told to know something was wrong.

 

That came later when one of the security officers showed up at his door, announcing that some students had gotten into a fight and that Connor was wanted in Mrs. Reed’s office. Connor mentally swore to himself but walked along with the security guard anyways.

 

Inside the principal’s office sat Sophie, with two other students—one boy, and one girl. Sophie seemed less banged up than the other two, and while it was wrong, Connor tried to hide a smile. Go Sophie, if the other two were the people that had been harassing her.

 

The security guard stopped outside and closed the door after Connor. Connor stood behind Sophie’s chair, since there were no other open ones in the room. Mrs. Reed glared between the three students before turning her eyes up to Connor.

 

“Katie and Jimmy claim that Sophie attacked them for no reason,” Mrs. Reed explained dryly, but she obviously knew better about what was going on. “But I know Sophie has been coming in to talk to you. Have you heard anything about it, Mr. Lewis?”

 

Connor glanced down at Sophie, who was shooting him a look in return. She had mentioned the harassment already.

 

“I have,” Connor began. “These two have been harassing her because of her sexuality,” Connor vouched and pointed to the two affronted teens.

 

“You keep fucking hitting on her!” Jimmy accused and started to get up from his chair, eyes pinned on Sophie.

 

“I do not! It’s you assholes that fucking target me!” Sophie protested hotly.

 

“Hey,” Mrs. Reed interrupted firmly, silencing them all. She looked over to Katie and Jimmy. “You two will be suspended. Harassment is against the school code of conduct. I’ll be calling your parents. Go sit outside please.”

 

Katie and Jimmy left, both upset. Connor was sure the parents would be making calls later.

 

“Sophie, I’m sorry, but you did get into a fight. I’m going to have to suspend you too… two days.” Mrs. Reed explained.

 

Sophie frowned, but she knew two days was lenient. The regular for fighting was five. Mrs. Reed excused Sophie too, so the blonde girl left the office, leaving Connor and Mrs. Reed together.

 

“Jeez,” Mrs. Reed rubbed her temples tiredly. “And I thought teenage boys were bad,” She joked flatly. Connor only shrugged in response, not sure what more there was for him to do.

 

“Connor, we need to do something about this,” Mrs. Reed pointed out. “Sophie and Justin are in your office almost every day. They probably don’t know that other people support them; people who aren’t gay even. I don’t want them thinking that only other gay’s are safe and other people aren’t going to understand.”

 

“Well what are we supposed to do?” Connor asked disbelievingly.

 

“Some other schools have GSA clubs, you know. Gay-Straight Alliances. We don’t have one of those, Connor,” Mrs. Reed explained. “And it would need a sponsor, too.”

 

The implication was obvious. He was supposed to be the sponsor if that club got started. “No one would show up,” Connor warned. It would probably be the same crowd from his office—Sophie and Justin.

 

“You never know. Some students find counselors hard to approach because they’re adults. Open up a student-led club, have Sophie and Justin as officers, and some other kids might come.” Mrs. Reed leaned back in her chair. “But right now it’s just an idea. I’ll see if I can print up some organizations that sponsor GSA clubs too.”

 

Whether it would work or not, it seemed Mrs. Reed was making the club happen.

 

***

 

Connor tried to think about it. He would have loved a GSA club back in high school himself, but no one ever tried to get one. Even if the school made one, no one would come except maybe Sophie and Justin. None of the “straight” part would come, because people would accuse them of being gay. No other “gay” kids would come, either in fear of their sexuality being put out there or drawing attention to themselves.

 

He went through some of the papers Mrs. Reed had given him, looking the sponsors up on their websites. Yes, it was a nice idea… but the parents and number of religious people at the school? The club would get bashed even more. No one would want to come.

 

Maybe if it wasn’t school affiliated? Connor swore to himself. Even then, if word got out to other people, he would be brought into question because of his sexuality. The whole thing was just plain bullshit.

 

Connor didn’t mention it to Sophie or Justin. He would wait more until he heard something from Mrs. Reed, because until then it was just an idea.

 

Sophie seemed to have gotten herself a bit of attention from her fight. People were making fun of Jimmy for having been beaten up by a girl—and there were more jokes about Sophie being butch for doing it. She was all over the board on emotions.

 

Some of it seemed to trickle down to Justin, too. Students were making jokes about Sophie being “his woman,” and how he probably had a girl fight for him.

 

“It’s so annoying,” Justin ranted a couple days later, once again beginning to spend his lunches in Connor’s office. “They can’t just fucking leave me alone.” Justin looked away at the use of his language, but was still upset, obviously.

 

“And how are things at home?” Connor asked, wondering if any of that had to do with Justin’s mood.

 

Justin didn’t answer right away, and then came a hesitant “fine.”

 

“The custody… are you with your mom now? How’s your dad taking it? And your parents with your sexuality?” Connor elaborated, not letting Justin get away with a short answer.

 

Justin scowled and folded his arms over his chest. “Yeah, full time with mom. Dad’s called me a few times but I haven’t really seen him. Usually just calls to tell me something fun he did with the new family,” he paused and swallowed hard. “Mom knows I’m gay, but it’s not anything we talk about. She doesn’t like to talk about it… but she’s not trying to shove girls at me, I guess that’s good. It’s just awkward.”

 

“Does she know what’s happening to you at school?” Connor asked.

 

“She knows I have trouble here, but I don’t think she really knows the extent of it. I think it would just freak her out, make her concerned about me being gay,” Justin explained.

 

Justin was at least able to admit that he was gay easily—better than Sophie had been at the start. Connor figured that was a good thing, that maybe Justin didn’t have a problem with himself as much as he did other people.

 

“You know Mrs. Reed wants to start up a GSA club,” Connor admitted. Damn it if it got Justin’s hopes out and didn’t work out, but… Justin and Sophie needed something.

 

“Huh?” Justin frowned in confusion.

 

“A Gay-Straight Alliance. After Sophie’s fight the other week, Mrs. Reed wants to start one. She gave me some sponsors, but I haven’t heard much of anything else,” Connor explained.

 

“People wouldn't like that,” Justin mumbled. “It wouldn’t work.”

 

“With an Mrs. Reed’s administrative approval and my supervision, yes it could. It would need members, though.” Connor looked pointedly at Justin.

 

Justin gawped for a moment before tensing in his chair. “No one else would show up.”

 

Connor wouldn’t say he had thought the same thing. If this club was going to get started, he at least needed people interested in it.

 

“And it’s too late in the year for a club,” Justin continued.

 

“It would be for next year. You and Sophie would get to be officers. You know, president, vice president.” Connor put out the idea of giving Justin some power in the club. The teen seemed to be a bit more open to the idea after that, but not entirely for it.

 

“Really, no one else would come,” Justin stressed. “It would make them gay.”

 

“Not if they’re already gay,” Connor protested, but this was the same argument he had had with himself.

 

“Then they’ll think it will out them if they come,” Justin countered.

 

Connor sighed and sunk back into his seat. He should have figured it was hopeless. The school wasn’t that open about sexuality, there was no way it would be ready for a sexuality club.

 

Justin left once his lunch ended, without another word on the club.

 

***

 

“Did you ask them?” Mrs. Reed asked, sticking her head into Connor’s office.

 

“Asked who what?” Connor replied distractedly, trying to cram a sandwich into his mouth while he had a free moment.

 

“Justin and Sophie, about the club,” Mrs. Reed reminded him with some attitude.

 

Connor swallowed a clump of food down. So here was that follow up from Mrs. Reed he hadn’t been expecting. “It’s not going to work,” he told her again. “Justin said the same things I did. No one wants to be called gay for coming. No one gay and in the closet is going to come. It would just be Sophie and Justin, only people would think that they’re trying to make a statement and give them an even harder time.”

 

“I say we still try it,” Mrs. Reed said thoughtfully, ignoring Connor completely.

 

Connor frowned and straightened up in his chair. “You can’t make Justin and Sophie go.”

 

“We can still set it up for next year, and we can advertise for it. But, you’re right; they don’t have to come. Doesn’t mean other people can’t chose to.”

 

Connor shrugged and turned around to his computer. “Fine,” he muttered.

 

“I’ll call Justin and Sophie into my office to talk to them, though,” Mrs. Reed added from behind.

 

Connor spun back around in his chair. “You can’t harass them about it!”

 

“Since when have any changes been made without being aggressive?” Mrs. Reed asked smartly before leaving.

 

Connor scowled and drummed his fingers on his desk. It took a few days, but soon enough Mrs. Reed was back at his door requesting that he come to her office. Connor followed her from the counselor’s offices to the principal’s office where Sophie and Justin sat.

 

Sophie didn’t look happy at all. “I didn’t do anything,” she said.

 

Justin was pale and looked like he was about to die. He thought he’d done something wrong, too.

 

“I know,” Mrs. Reed sang and went behind her desk. “This is about the GSA club.”

 

Justin groaned irately at the same time Sophie exclaimed, “What GSA club?”

 

“The one I want to start for next year,” Mrs. Reed said and shot Connor an accusing look. “And the one I want you and Justin to be officers in.”

 

“I don’t want to,” Justin snapped at her.

 

“I want to,” Sophie stated and gave Justin an expectant look. “I think it would be fun.”

 

“We’d only catch more shit for it,” Justin stressed angrily. “And no one else would come.”

 

“We could try,” Sophie shrugged it off. “You don’t have to, Justin. I’m going to, though. It’ll be my senior year. Fuck them.”

 

Mrs. Reed did seem a bit disgruntled by the language in her office, but she let it go. “So Sophie, you’re at least up for it?”

 

“Yeah,” Sophie answered with a wide smile.

 

Justin slumped back in his chair, scowling. “Fine,” he agreed grudgingly.

 

Mrs. Reed gave Connor an “I told you so,” look.

 

“I’ll start up some of the paperwork for the club for next school year, then,” Mrs. Reed said happily.

 

***

 

A few weeks later, and finals week started. Connor didn’t see Justin and Sophie at all, as messed up as the schedules got for the last week of school.

 

He did send them both a pass and brought them up to his office to hand out his e-mail and cell phone.

 

“Keep me updated over the summer, okay?” Connor told Justin.

 

Justin averted his eyes guiltily before leaving without a word. Connor was still worried about him; he often seemed to avoid talking about family and things at school. Connor had to hope that if anything really was wrong, Justin would tell Sophie and she would speak up about it. She was still mad that she hadn’t known Justin had been cutting himself first semester.

 

Sophie promised to spam Connor with text messages, though all in jest. At least, Connor hoped it was a joke.

 

He warned them both not to let Mrs. Reed or anyone else know that they had his cell phone number, in case it got called into question.

 

Sophie just said, “Fuck them and what they assume.”

 

Justin didn’t say anything to that.

 

Finals week ended, and they were out for the summer.