Page 8 of I Can't Even Think Straight

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“I’m always on your side, Kai.

But you read all those love stories,

and all that soppy poetry,

and yet you only tell me

about Vass’s crushes,

and never your own.

From what you’ve told me—

and I can only go by

what you’ve told me,

because, as you’ve rightly pointed out,

I’ve never met Vass—

but from what you’ve told me,

Vass makes it obvious

when they like someone.”

“So, what you saying now?

You’d be fine with me

crushing on boys at school?

Are you ready for me to come out?”

“You know where I stand, Kai,

I told you before summer:

I don’t plan to come out at high school,

like in those Heartstopper books

you love so much, but

you do you.”

You do you.

I hate this expression with a passion.

What does it even mean?

My eyes drift to a poster

on the wall behind Matt:

an upcoming author talk and a book signing.

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