Page 24 of Besties
“Everything okay?”
I gave a one-shoulder shrug. “Guess we’re going to the Bahamas.”
She practically squealed as she got up and rushed over to me. “And you don’t have to worry, Walter and I will pay our own way.”
Richie huffed and pointed at me. “Oh my God. You’re as bad as he is.” He came close to us. “This is my gift to you. When we were kids, you were always there for us. You made us treats while we watched cartoons. You crawled into a blanket fort with us. We pigged out on brownies together. Now it’s my turn to give something back.” He leaned in and kissed Mom’s cheek. “You were always my second mother, you know? So shut up and let me have this.”
She opened her mouth, and I was certain she’d protest, but Walter stopped her. “Lily, he wants to do this for you, so shut up, say thank you, and plan on what bikini you’re taking.”
She glared at him. “I’m not taking a bikini. I don’t have the body for it.”
He ran a hand over her back and patted her butt. “I disagree, sweetheart. You have the perfect body for it.”
My mom had obviously lost weight, but she was still what I’d call pleasingly plump. It was a good look on her, though. She had a body sort of like Richie’s. The kind where when they wrap you in their arms, you’re comforted by the softness, that little bit of padding that makes it extra special. I was glad that Walter could see Mom for what a special person she was.
“You’re too sweet.”
He smiled at her. “You say sweet, I say honest.” He pointed to the table. “Now can we finish eating? There’s a golf course calling my name.”
“I think that went well.How about you?”
We were sitting at the airport, waiting for them to call our flight. Mom and Walter had dropped us off, with Mom giving each of us a kiss, and then they headed out to go exploring.
“You’re just happy because you got your way.”
“Duh. I like getting my way. It’s what makes me so good in business. I have the solutions people need, and they listen to me. If I don’t, then I work with them to find the perfect set of tools for their children to learn.”
It took everything in me not to start biting my nails. “Are you sure I’m the right guy for the job?”
He held his hand up, rolled back his jacket sleeve, and looked at his wrist. “Well, it took longer for you to ask than I thought.” He focused on me again. “Yes, you are the perfect guy for the job. I wish I had asked you years ago. No, strike that. I wish I had come to you when I was doing my startup and talked to you about joining with me as my partner.”
Partner? Holy shit. “You really mean that?”
“Have you ever known me to say something if I didn’t mean it? If you remember, I’m the one who stood up in class when Mr. Blaylock told Karen Clementi she needed Jesus in her life because she was a lesbian.”
That had been epic. It was six months after I’d come out to Richie and my mom. I told a few people at school, so it wasn’t really a secret anymore. People didn’t talk much about it, but they also didn’t give me shit. At least not too often.
But that day, the teacher was on a tear about Karen’s T-shirt that said “Some People Are Gay, Get Over It,” and he was standing up at the desk, telling her to either turn it inside out or leave his class. She refused. He shoved his chair, which clattered against the wall. His face was an unhealthy mottled red as he started to shout at her that she needed Jesus and was going to hell for being gay.
“She’s not gay.”
Blaylock’s attention snapped over to Richie. “What did you say?”
He stood up, his gaze locked on the teacher. His jaw was set, his eyes narrowed. Richie was pissed. “She isn’t gay. Her brother is. She wore the shirt to support him. And with the way you’re acting? It shows why she needs to do it. There’s nothing wrong with the shirt—what’s wrong is your attitude. You call yourself a teacher, but what are you really teaching us? That it’s okay to be a bigot and bully? Some of us have friends who are gay, and we won’t let you stand up here and try to say there’s something wrong with them.”
Richie winked at me. If I thought Blaylock was red in the face before, it went to Defcon 1 instantly.
“Get out of my class.”
Richie smiled. “Gladly. I’m going to be headed to the principal’s office to tell him what kind of person you are.” He held up a phone. “And just so you don’t try to deny it, I’ve got it all on video.”
Blaylock stood sputtering as Richie picked up his books and strolled out the door, where he called his mother, who came down, furious that the teacher had spoken to any student like that. She knew I was gay, and she wasn’t having anyone speaking ill of her family.
After several other students complained that Mr. Blaylock had insulted their race or religion, which was backed up by the parents of those students who’d had Blaylock when they were kids, he was given the choice between resigning or being terminated. He chose to leave on his own, though he complained bitterly about it for years.
Richie was a hero to many people. Karen mooned over him after that, but then again, so did I. It was around that time people stopped seeing him as a nerd and started seeing him as a future leader. And Richie? He began to act like it. He was tireless in his pursuit for student’s rights, for getting teachers to listen more, and also for helping the other kids understand their role in education wasn’t just sitting there and being bored. He got them to be more engaged, which led to classes being more interesting. Kids who thought school was a waste started paying attention and understanding that they needed education for life. Richie got together with some of his friends, and they started tutoring services, which helped bring grades up. So, yeah. Richie wasn’t a nerd anymore. To many, he was a god.
At least to them. To me, he would always be my nerd.
