Page 39 of The Rebel's Guide to Pride

Even Mason had said I was brave.

The last time I’d seen Cohen, I stormed out of The Cove. He’d been standing at the back entrance, with crimson blooms across his fair complexion and mouth agape. That same expression twisted his handsome features as I stepped into Room 13. He was seated at a three-person table with a tween, and he glanced up at me as the door clicked shut.

He waved, but I pretended not to notice as I searched for a seat. There was only one left. At his table. Right across from him.Damn it,I griped, wavering by the doorway.I could just come to the next—

“Zeke! Thank you for coming back,” a melodious voice called.

I let go of the door handle with a reserved sigh, turning around. Jess, the program leader, was by Cohen’s table. She exuberantly waved me forward, and my stomach sank when I realized she wanted me to sit with him.

“Cohen has agreed to help train you in mentoring,” she said as I crossed over. “He’s helping Addi with homework, and they’re both super excited to have you here.”

That felt like hyperbole judging by the expression still on Cohen’s face. His blush spread down to his neck as he moved his camera off the seat. I reluctantly pulled the chair out, and Addi grinned, looking up from the workbook. “I go by they/them pronouns,” Addi introduced themself with a wave, their smile faltering. “Not that my teacher cares.”

“We talked about this, Addi,” Cohen said to them under his breath. His voice was too soft, too smooth in comparisonto how rough he usually was with me. “The teachers at Beggs Middle School are forced—”

“Iknow,Cohen,” Addi said with an exaggerated eye roll. They slunk forward and dropped their head onto the table, their afro puffs shielding their face from view. “It’s sooo mean how the governor and now the mayor won’t let us be us, ya know?”

I swallowed nervously. They knew more about the state laws than I did.What am I even doing here?At any minute, Cohen would leap up and yell at me some more. He’d out me as a fraud, and then it’d get back to everyone who came to the speakeasies. They’d all know I didn’t deserve to be King of Pride.

“If you have any questions about the process, just ask my right-hand man,” Jess said, nodding at Cohen. “I’ll be in my office if you need me.”

She made her way across the room, and I wanted her to come back instead of leaving me alone with Cohen and Addi. Wanted to confess I was too stupid for this. Instead, I swallowed my fear and cleared my throat. “Nice to meet you,” I said to Addi, refusing to look at Cohen. “I’m Zeke.”

“What’re your pronouns?” they inquired thoughtfully.

It was the first time anyone had ever asked me that. “I prefer he/him,” I said, sitting down.

Addi nodded, smiling up at me. Then the expression faded as they looked back down at the homework on the table. “You any good with English essays, Zeke?” they asked.

“I used to be,” I said, doing my best to ignore Cohen. “What’s your assignment?”

“My teacher next year, Ms. Jemison, she wants me to write an essay on what my home feels like so we can introduce ourselves when school starts.” They cut their eyes to Cohen. “And he doesn’t like what I’ve written. But who cares? Who even gives summer homework? Ugh.”

“Addi, I didn’t say that,” he said, shaking his head. “I said it wasn’t what the directions stated.”

“You’d follow the rules even if they said ‘Jump into the park’s pond,’ ” they muttered, causing me to snort a laugh. Because he really would.

“I’m obviously no Cohen, but I could try to help,” I offered. “What did you write exactly?”

“How Beggs doesn’t feel like home with the laws and stuff,” they said simply. “They’re hard to understand, and I feel dumb even if my daddy said all I had to know is that he’d protect me. But ya know, sometimes it just sucks.”

Cohen’s lips parted, and he gave a little inhale like he was about to launch into a speech, but I jumped in. “It does suck,” I assured them. “I feel that way too.”

“You do?” both Cohen and Addi asked.

“Uh…” Cohen eyed me intently as he waited for my answer. “Yeah, I’m still trying to figure out what’s happening out there in the world, and I feel dumb. I didn’t have a dad who said he’d protect me, so you’re already off to a good start.”

“You’re not dumb,” Cohen said, but I didn’t know if he was talking to me or Addi.

“No, you’re not,” I told them. “My mom said that we don’t have to know everything. At least you’re trying to understand. That’s what matters.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you—them.” Cohen turned to Addi, his face reddening. “You’re not dumb for writing this essay, but I don’t think that’s what Ms. Jemison meant. She wants to know about your bedroom or if you have a pet. Things like that.”

“That’s boooring,” they whined.

“It doesn’t have to be,” I offered, risking a glance at Cohen again.

“How would you write about your bedroom then, Zeke?”

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