Page 110 of Theoretically Straight

“Sorry,” I say through an exhale.

Harrison gives me a pitying look. “He’s here. He came in halfway through second period. He’s making up his Geometry test right now. But he asked that I tell you he’s okay, and he’ll see you in English Lit. I’m one of the only people his parents are letting him talk to right now.”

Okay. He’s here. He still wants to see me. That’s a good sign. Surely, things aren’t as bad as I’ve drummed them up to be in my head.

“Thank you,” I say, giving Harrison a nod. “Is he… is he really okay?”

Harrison’s gaze drops down to the table. Elise puts a hand on his shoulder, leaning over to answer, “I don’t think so. His parents–well, mostly his dad–aren’t exactly the most open people when it comes to change. We’re hoping things turn out for the best, but you should prepare yourself for a bumpy ride. And maybe try not to worry too much. We’re here for Theo. For you both. If I have to fight Theo’s dad myself, you’d better believe I’ll throw hands.”

“He’s also got Grace, who will defend him tooth and nail,” Harrison adds, looking up from the table. “She’s not going to tolerate any radical bullshit from their parents.”

Right. He’s got a support system in place. Everything doesn’t rest squarely on my shoulders. That’s a comfort.

“Where’s Oliver?” Wren asks during the lull in Theo-related conversation.

Elise rolls her eyes. “Standing outside Mr. Brenner’s classroom, waiting for Theo to finish his test. I keep telling him to give Theo space to breathe, but he refuses to leave his side.”

“Aww,” Freddy coos, unwrapping his sandwich. “That’s really sweet, actually.”

Elise shakes her head. “It’s something, alright.”

The rest of lunch carries on without much talking on my end. Elise and Freddy somehow get caught up in an argument I only hear half of, but it has something to do with who is the gayest member of the X-Men.

When the chime sounds for the next period, I bolt from the table, tossing my untouched lunch into the trash on my way out the door.

I’m the first student in the classroom, huffing and puffing from sprinting all the way here from the cafeteria. Mrs. Hyung looks up from her desk, puzzled, then goes back to her Sudoku. I set my backpack down at my desk, then step out into the hallway and lean against the wall, waiting. It’s five minutes till class is supposed to start, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to miss out on a single second of time with Theo.

I spot Oliver first–he’s easier to find in a crowd–coming around the corner. He scans the hallway like he’s a drug-sniffing dog, ready to bust the closest offender. Then he sees me, and he stops, turning to the side. The milling crowd of students parts, and my chest squeezes as I finally catch a glimpse of Theo.

In the few agonizing seconds it takes to close the distance between us, a thousand thoughts run through my mind. But when I’m standing in front of him, taking in his crooked smile, they all fade away, and all I can do is wrap my arms around him, holding him tighter than I’ve ever held anyone before.

Theo lets out a sigh as he tucks his head against my chest, his body melding into mine.

And for a blissful second, I’m so happy to be here, holding on to the boy I love.

Then I remember where we are.

“Shit,” I whisper, slacking my hold on him. “Sorry.”

But Theo clings to me, refusing to let go. “No, it’s okay. Just a little bit longer.”

I happily comply, resting my chin on top of his head and closing my eyes. Who cares if people see us now? The fallout has already happened. The only benefit is maybe we don’t have to be so guarded anymore.

“What are you looking at? Have you never seen people hug before?”

Theo lifts his head off my chest, turning to Oliver. “Calm down, man. It’s okay.”

Oliver nods, folding his arms. “Yeah, sorry. That one got away from me. Are you good?”

“I’m good,” Theo replies, pulling away from me but taking my hand in his.

Oliver looks at me. “I’ll leave him in your capable hands. Theo, I’ll see you after class.”

“What’s all that about?” I ask as Oliver strides away from us.

“He’s just being overprotective,” Theo says, lifting his free hand to stifle a yawn. “It freaked him out when I stopped replying to his messages yesterday.”

“I know the feeling.”

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