Page 75 of Dire Straights

I guess she knew Cyprian from dropping Maddy off. When he jogged up next to me, we both exchanged a look. That look was communicating something likewe know we’re both parent-friendly, but can Caelyx and Arie behave around them?Maddy wasn’t out to his parents yet, and if either of them made any jokes or references about us fucking, as they tended to do, then that would be pretty damn hard to explain.

“Do you mind if we sit with you guys? I’d love to meet the rest of Maddox’s friends,” Mr. H said.

“Yeah, that’ll be great,” I lied.

“Just follow me,” Cyprian offered, heading back down the hall toward the little entrance to the bleachers. We followed behind, and I nodded along and gave hopefully appropriate responses to the three of them chatting excitedly about Maddy’s meet and how well he might place.

The second we were seated, I sent him a text letting him know that his parents, along with Missy, and all of our friends were here in the stands. I didn’t think he’d be upset or anything, but I also didn’t want him to feel ambushed. When I got no response after a few minutes, I figured his phone was probably in a locker or bag somewhere and he’d check it after his firstswim. Or heat, or whatever they called it. I’d only gotten a vague understanding from the video I’d watched of his first meet.

Introductions between Maddy’s parents and everyone else were polite and enthusiastic. They didn’t seem too put off by Arie’s tiny crop top, or the array of star-shaped hair clips pinned into Che’s bangs, or Aspen’s piercings, so that was a plus, at least. But it was pretty clear none of us, with the exception of Cyprian andmaybeCaelyx on a good day, were part of the hot, cool, popular jock-approved crowd.

When they announced the first freestyle round was happening, Kate, as she’d asked me to call her, clapped her hands together excitedly.

“Freestyle means Maddox is going to be up soon!” She chirped.

Part of me still wanted to be annoyed about them forgetting his birthday, but I had to remind myself my mom wasn’t perfect either. And she seemed nice enough.

No one from Byron Bay University swam in the first freestyle heat, but when the second one rolled around, we all heard Maddy’s name announced as one of the contestants, and saw him making his way to the pool. We cheered loudly, but he didn’t even look up. He was probably just really focused. And I shouldn’t have been checking him out in his speedo while I was sitting next to his parents. I was sure they didn’t notice.

As he climbed up onto the diving block, I noticed one of the guys from his team approach him. When I squinted, I could see it was the red-haired guy from the party, O’Conner. I knew he was the one who’d called Maddy a slur, too. I hoped they wouldn’t fight in front of Maddy’s parents or anything.

They talked for a few moments, but hardly at all, before Maddy tore his goggles and stuff off and threw them down onto the floor. I heard a bunch of gasps, mostly directly around me but plenty across the huge room, too. A hushed silence fell overthe crowd, like they were waiting anxiously for some horrible thing to happen.

Maddy didn’t seem to notice the sudden crushing silence as he hopped down off the diving block. And because no one else was making a sound, his words were deafeningly loud, echoing off the walls.

“I’m fucking done! I quit! Fuck you and your stupid fucking bigoted, homophobic asshole friends and your sociopath fucking coach, too! You can all suck me and fucking choke!” He pushed past O’Conner, shoulder checking him as I’d seen him do before when he was really mad, then stopped and turned back around for a brief moment. “Oh, and since you all just love speculating about me, let me go ahead and confirm. Yes, I’m a fag. I have a boyfriend. And we fuck! And since you have such a problem with that, just stay the fuck away from me!”

And without another word or a look around at the stunned audience, or any of the shocked coaches, swimmers, or anything else, he stormed the rest of the way out of the arena area.

No one said anything for several, agonizing moments until finally Aspen turned to me, looking incredulous.

“Dude. I said talk to him about going official. He didn’t have to announce it in a crowded arena. What the hell did you say to him?”

Mr. H’s eyes were drilling holes in the side of me, painfully burrowing into my skin. If there were any doubts about him knowing before, I was definitely sure now.

Groaning lightly, I pressed my palms into my eyes, slowly sinking down into my seat.

MADDOX

WHEN I’D GOTTENback to the locker room after my mega-level meltdown and changed back into my street clothes, I’d checked my phone to find out that everyone had come to watch my meet. Even my fucking parents.

I wanted to be mad, upset, something, but I couldn’t. It was the most embarrassing, insane thing I’d ever done, but I was glad.

Even though I’d changed and exited the building in what had to be record time, my parents were already in the parking lot waiting for me.

They’d been understandably horrified and confused by my actions at first, and I was kind of fucking petrified at what my dad’s reaction watching me quit the team in front of his actual fucking eyes would be, but after explaining the situation with the guys on the team treating me like shit, and what Coach Larson had done to me, they were both completely on my side.

“Oh, honey,” my mom cooed sympathetically at me, hugging me against her chest. “Why didn’t you say anything about what was going on?”

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I didn’t want to cause issues or anything. At first I just tried to ignore it, but… Anyway, it doesn’t matter. I’m done with the team and it’s fine. I wasn’t enjoying myself, anyway.”

“You’re not changing your major, are you, Champ?” My dad asked.

“What, like to musical theater or interior design?” I asked sarcastically, and he shook his head, giving me a wry look.

“Maddox, I already knew about you and Ren.”

“You did?” My mom and I said the words at the same time, but hers were way more shocked.

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