Page 74 of Pride High

Cameron was quiet.

Anthony was too because he was thinking of Ricky. And the way he had looked at Omar during the first couple weeks of school. Plus all that stuff he’d said at the library about being in love before, and how he had a friend who, similar to the situation with Omar and Silvia, had left him feeling like he was on the outside.

“Does he go to our school?” Anthony asked. He had stopped without realizing it. Cameron turned to face him, his expression strained. “Skylar isn’t his real name, is it?”

“I can’t talk about this,” Cameron said. “It isn’t fair.”

“Why not?”

“Because if someone came up to me tomorrow and startedasking very specific questions about you, how would you feel if I told them the truth?”

“That I’m gay?” Anthony asked. He didn’t need to think long. “I’m not ready to come out. When that happens, I want to tell people myself.”

“Exactly. Skylar is the same way. I won’t tell him about you either.”

Fuck! Anthony hadn’t considered that. If it was Ricky, and ithadto be, then he could easily get outed to Omar and everyone else. Either by accident or design. “I see your point,” Anthony said. “So are you and Skylar…”

“No,” Cameron said instantly. “I’ve never met him in person. Not really. He actually stood me up the day that I ran into you. We were supposed to meet at the memorial itself. I waited around for over an hour before I went looking for him.”

“But do you still want to meet him?” Anthony asked.

Cameron studied him before answering. “I’m not sure. Like you, I was hoping to meet someone. And I did. Just not in the way I expected.” He offered a smile before he resumed strolling.

Anthony stared after him a moment before hurrying to follow. “So am I your first?”

“Not yet,” Cameron said with a chuckle.

“No, I mean… You’re the first gay guy I’ve talked to like this.”

“Oh. I do have friend who’s gay. Charles. He’s a lot older than us. I’ve never been brave enough to askhowold exactly. He’s cool though. I think you’d like him.” Cameron looked him over. “You’re both peacocks.”

Anthony snorted. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You just have a way of dressing that’s… I don’t know. Flamboyant.”

He felt the blood rushing to his face again and decided to steer the conversation away from himself. “Have you met anyone our age?”

“A few,” Cameron said. “Remember the BBS I mentioned?”

“Nope,” he replied. “I’m only familiar with normal BS.”

Cameron grinned. “Do you at least know what a modem is? Or a chat room?”

“Oh, right! You mentioned some way of meeting people through your computer.”

“Yeah. And I have, a few times, but none of them were thekind of guy I’d wanna go for a walk with in the middle of the night.”

That sounded flirtatious! Anthony wondered if he was supposed to respond with something similar, so Cameron wouldn’t feel rejected. Except the only words that came to his mind were,I wish it was brighter out so I could stare at your face. Your head is round like a pumpkin, but not in a bad way. I want to touch your hair and squeeze your arm muscles.But thankfully, he didn’t voice these awkward thoughts. There was a much more pressing subject anyway, one of great importance to him.

“You don’treallylike Richard Marx, do you?”

Cameron shrugged. “What can I say? I find his great big mullet irresistible.”

“Seriously?”

Cameron stopped and began singing Marx’s song “Right Here Waiting”at the top of his lungs. Anthony made a face and covered his ears in protest. Cameron was relentless. He kept belting it out while pulling at Anthony’s hands so he’d be forced to listen.

“I’m going to leave you ‘right here waiting’ if you don’t stop,” Anthony complained. “See?” he added when someone switched on their porch light. “They’re probably wondering why a wounded dog is howling outside their house.”

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