Page 4 of Catch Me
“Blow up the government,” Tilian suggested. His eyes were a little too bright for that statement. “Or, if that’s too much, start rallies, get people worked up about it. Make t-shirts and shit.”
Brooks’ dad came over and held his hand out to me. I took it firmly and felt relieved when his expression became less serious.
“Noah Elrod,” he said.
“Travis McKinney.”
“I like what you’re fighting for. Any particular reason for your interest in it?”
“I was put into conversion camp when I was fifteen.”
His eyes widened slightly. “Christ. I can’t imagine. If you want my advice, the first step is to gain the online following, which you seem to have already done. Try to meet with legislators and continue to keep the public engaged. People have a tendency to jump behind an issue, then start to forget about it quickly.”
“How do you suggest I keep them engaged?”
“You’ve spoken out about your experience, I assume?” I nodded. “Get more people to do the same. One person’s experience raises awareness. Add in another, two more, ten more, and it becomes jarring. They’ll see that it’s not as rare as they might think. Do you know anyone else who can share their experience?”
I shifted my gaze to Sen, who looked uncomfortable. Kai pulled him against his side and whispered something in his ear.
“I’m not sure,” I said.
“You could make a video asking if anyone would share their story,” Brooks suggested.
“Maybe...” Sen trailed off, then cleared his throat. “Maybe I could.”
“You don’t have to,” I replied quickly.
“You were in conversion therapy?” Tilian asked. When Sen nodded, his brows drew down. “I’m sorry. Shit, that doesn’t help. Sorry. God damnit.”
Sen breathed a laugh. “Relax, Tilian.”
“Right. Trying.”
When Sen looked at me, he chewed on his lip for a second. “You went for half a summer, and I went for three, plus my parents tried to send me back just last year. It took me until I was twenty to accept that I’m gay, and the things I still deal with can show people the lasting consequences.IfI decide to do it, I think it could help, which is what’s important.”
“Everyone looks super serious,” a new voice chimed in. He was young, maybe a middle schooler, and he had blond hair a lot like Tilian’s.
“Be respectful, Alex,” Tilian scolded.
“I am, I am.”
“We can talk more about it another time,” I said. “Sen, don’t feel like you have to do anything. But if you decide that you want to, I’d be honored to have your story on my channel.”
“Imagine the looks on your parents’ faces.” Brooks snickered, putting a hand over his mouth. “They deserve to be called out for their crimes.”
Surprisingly, Sen laughed. “Another reason to consider it.”
After Tilian’s family settled in, West and Linc arrived, loud as ever. Everyone was lost in conversation, and when the game started, they went back and forth between watching and talking. There were a few others they’d brought, who I didn’t know. One of them had been keeping to himself, and only Tilian’s parents had said anything to him.
“You invited him?” I heard Tilian ask in an angrier tone than I thought he was capable of.
“He was in town,” Miranda, his stepmother, said. “We’re all family.”
He snorted. “That’s generous.”
“Can you guys try not to be at each other’s throats? You’re not teenagers anymore, Til, and he was respectful at Alex’s birthday party.”
“I don’t give two shits about him, but he’s already glaring at me. Brooks will get annoyed, and if Roman does anything that pisses off West or Kai, he’s gonna get a fist to the face.”
