Page 100 of Theoretically Straight

“Good luck!” Freddy calls after us, heading in the opposite direction.

* * *

“Hey, do you have a minute?”

Lola spins her desk chair around, abandoning whatever project she’s currently working on. She’s dressed in her PJs even though it’s only a little after eight.

“For you, always.”

I step into her bedroom, shutting the door behind me because it’s one of those rare nights when both Mom and Dad are home, and the documentary they’re watching isn’t particularly loud, so I don’t want them to overhear.

Lola’s room is far tidier than mine. We may look alike, but we’re different in pretty much every way. Her walls, which were once covered in ribbons and awards from her time in high school, are filled with framed pictures of her friends and the trips they take over the summer. The soft blue of her bedspread matches the color of the ocean in the photos that hang above it, and they fill me with the sudden urge to run along the beach, letting the water wash over my feet.

“Everything okay? You’re back kind of early from the Pumpkin Festival.” Lola watches me from her chair, her arms folded across her chest.

The knot in my stomach tightens again. “Yeah, um, there was a complication.”

Lola gives me an encouraging nod. “Keep talking.”

“Theo and I were on the Ferris wheel, and when we got to the top, he kissed me, and someone saw us. Not just someone, his ex-girlfriend Sienna, who apparently everyone looks at like she’s some kind of living saint.”

Lola sucks in a breath.

“When we got back down on the ground, he tried to find her in the crowd, but she was gone. And everything happening all at once sent him into a panic attack, which freaked me out because I didn’t know what to do.”

Lola stands, coming over to wrap me in a hug. “Oh, Cal. That must have been terrifying for you.”

“I’m fine,” I say, even though my throat is tight and my stomach is in knots. “Theo’s friends took him home, but now I don’t know what’s going to happen with Sienna and his family, and I’m scared they’re going to keep him away from me.”

Lola guides me over to the bed, both of us settling onto the edge. “Have you heard from him?”

I shake my head. “It’s only been an hour or so. And he’s got more important stuff going on than texting me.”

Lola frowns. “And you’re sure that she saw you two? I mean, the Ferris wheel is pretty tall, so there’s no way she could have seen a little peck.”

Heat builds in my cheeks. “Um, it was a bit more than a peck.”

Lola knocks her shoulder into mine. “All right, little bro.”

“Shut up. This is serious.”

“You’re right,” Lola replies, straightening up. “Well, it seems like you two will just have to wait and see which way the wind’s going to blow. I know Theo’s not out or anything with his family, so do you think his ex is going to tell his parents?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never even met her before, so I can only go off the way the others talk about her, and if that’s the case, it doesn’t look good.”

I can’t imagine a scenario where she doesn’t tell them. If she truly believes what Theo and I are doing is wrong, then I wouldn’t be surprised if she went straight to his house from the festival to out him.

And no matter what Freddy and Wren say, I can’t help but feel like this is my fault.

Lola taps me on the forehead. “What’s going on in there?”

“Huh?” I blink at her.

“You’re stewing, little brother. I can see it on your face. Are you just worried about Theo, or is there something else going on?”

A wave of heat to my face and fresh tears well in my eyes.

“Did I ruin his life?”

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