CHARLES

“Have a good nap, Mr. Aughtly?” Mr. Hernandez didn’t even look up from the book he was reading as he addressed Charles.

Charles pulled down the hood of the borrowed hoodie and let it fall over his headphones. “Thanks for letting me crash here. Homework has been… brutal lately.” He picked up his bag and swung it over his shoulder, moving up to his seat at the front of the class. The musky scent radiating from the hoodie that was definitely plucked out of someone’s hamper at home itched at his nose, so he took it off.

“Hm,” Mr. Hernandez hummed in a manner that suggested Charles’ lie was not all that believable, “that’s interesting, Charles. I’ve never known you to struggle with your studies.”

A sharp blush leaped onto Charles’ cheeks, and he turned to face the front of the room. “Well, you know… it’s senior year. A lot is going on.”

“Charles.” Mr. Hernandez closed his book and set it aside. “Do you know why I agreed to be the advisor for the Gender and Sexuality Alliance?”

“Um.” Charles shifted in his seat, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. “I guess I don’t.”

“Because when I went to this school, we didn’t have a club like that. LGBTQ students were expected to keep our heads down—don’t stir the pot, don’t make a scene. It wasn’t until my senior year was nearly over that the Dean finally broke and let us have one—and it was shut down within a few years.” He gathered some papers on his desk into a neat stack and knocked them together to be more organized. “Also, Lucas made a very compelling case that appealed to me as the one openly gay teacher on this campus.”

“Why are you telling me this?” To his complete horror, Charles’ voice cracked. Students rushed into the halls, trying to get to their next classes, but he and Mr. Hernandez remained in the classroom. Still, his eyes kept darting to the door.

“My family wasn’t all too pleased when I came out—although we’ve worked it out now. But my door is always open if it’s too nerve-wracking to talk to Lucas and the others in that club.”

Charles’ face tingled as his blood rushed to his toes. He stared hard at his desk, wondering what he had done to get found out so easily. “Thanks, but—” his voice was rough, uneven. “—I’m not—I don’t…”

Mr. Hernandez held up a hand. “You don’t need to defend yourself to me, Charles. Or even explain. I’m on your side.”

“But I’m not—”

“Charles.”

Charles stopped, looking up into Mr. Hernandez’s soft, brown eyes. They stared at each other for a long time, the students rushing through the halls seeming to slow to a complete halt. “Okay,” Charles said when he finally found his voice again, “thank you.”

Mr. Hernandez nodded, picking up his book again. “Lucas is very passionate about his cause. It’s sweet.”

Charles bit his lip a little to hide the smile forming on his lips, but based on the tone of his teacher’s voice, he had been caught a long time ago. Charles nodded. “Yeah. He is.”

It was the end of the day, and the sun was starting its descent through the sky. Charles had to stay after to get some studying done in the library for a project in Mr. Hernandez’s class, so he was getting out later than most of the other kids. He mindlessly scrolled through his notifications as he walked to his car. Charles then noticed that he had one from Lucas.

Every time he got one of those emails, his heart did a fun little dance. It was the highlight of his day—talking to Lucas. Even if he was staying anonymous, he felt like they got a little bit closer with every email. It didn’t even matter that Charles had technically been rejected—it was probably better that they were trying out to be friends first.

Well, they were pen pals. But pal was right in the name, so Charles told himself it counted as a friendship.

To: charcharbinks@gmail.com

From: luckyinlove666@gmail.com

Subject: GSA

Binks,

We had our first GSA meeting today! Can I tell you about it? I don’t want to leave you out, and I’m dying to talk about it with someone!

Respectfully yours,

Lucky

Charles smiled at his phone as he opened his trunk and slipped his backpack off his shoulder. He had been at that meeting, and he knew Lucas did a good job. Even though the group was small, Lucas managed to get all of them out of their shells by the end—including Connor Lavigne, who was notoriously shy. For a moment, Charles had considered lifting his head, letting them know he was there.

But then he remembered that his ex, Cami, was the vice president, and he didn’t particularly feel like having that conversation with her in the middle of a school day.

To: luckyinlove666@gmail.com

From: charcharbinks@gmail.com

Re: GSA

Lucky,

Of course, you can, although I bet I already know. It was amazing, wasn’t it? It had to be with you at the front of the room.

I’m sorry I missed it, but I was too nervous. If it makes any difference, I did consider going to see you in action. But then you wouldn’t have been able to tell me about it after! This way, I get to be included anyway.

Respectfully yours,

Binks

To: charcharbinks@gmail.com

From: luckyinlove666@gmail.com

Re: GSA

Oh, don’t be sorry, Binks! It’s okay, I get it. Seriously. Although, if you ever do decide to come, the door is open. You don’t even have to tell me it’s you. I’ll welcome you regardless.

And the club did go well, but it wasn’t only thanks to me! Without the others opening up, it would have been a disaster. It was a team effort, as always.

Charles smiled as he typed out a response, then slipped into his car to head home. He still had to cook dinner, and his father was going to be home a little early, which meant Charles had some chores around the house to do as well. Coming home to a dirty home always put Vincent in a bad mood, and Charles tried to help out where he could.

Especially since Vincent tended to take every speck of dirt out on their housekeeper, who was a perfectly nice woman. She didn’t deserve to be spoken to like that. But Vincent spoke to everyone like that, including Charles, and the words he used were sharp as knives.

After tidying up the living room, his bedroom, his father’s bedroom, and the den, Charles got to work in the kitchen. He was tired from school, so he stuck to a simple pasta dish that wouldn’t be difficult to clean up after.

Just as he was placing bowls full of piping hot pasta on the dining room table, the door to the house swung open and slammed shut.

Oh no.

Vincent stormed into the kitchen, pulling at his tie with a sour expression on his face. He didn’t greet Charles or say anything about the food. He only tracked dirt from his shoes all over the floor Charles had just cleaned and shoved his jacket, wallet, and keys onto the previously pristine counter.

“Um. Hey, Dad! Welcome home.” Charles opened his mouth to say something about the food, but Vincent shot him a look that was like daggers, and he shut his mouth instantly.

Vincent stopped his tirade of the kitchen, walked through the open archway that led to the dining room, and stared at his bowl with a scowl. “What’s this?”

“Pasta tossed with vegetables and some of the leftover chicken from last night…”

Vincent looked up at Charles, his frown deepening. “I told you we had to cook the steak I bought at the beginning of the week. Now it’s going to go bad!”

Charles’ heart sank. Right, the steak! He had completely forgotten after Vincent hated his chicken dish from the night before. “Oh.”

“Oh?” Vincent clicked his tongue, shook his head, and pulled out his chair. “Put it in the freezer if you’re not going to cook it. I swear I don’t know why I buy you these things if you’re going to waste them.”

Charles didn’t want to take a chance by arguing, so he disappeared into the kitchen to get the steak taken care of. Great. He tried so hard to get the house nice, and his father came home in a bad mood anyway.

Just his luck.