6. Jace
JACE
Swapping Kieran’s uniform wasn’t enough. It’s been weeks since I did that, and Kieran hasn’t wavered at all. All he did that day was skip gym, and when he showed up to math class a couple of hours later, he seemed completely fine. Including his makeup.
Either David lied about seeing Sparkles crying or he reapplied that crap on his face because I can still remember how bright his blue eyes looked in contrast with his black lashes.
It was embarrassing because I’d claimed the stunt in front of the whole locker room, and he barely cared. It’s making me look weak. Pathetic. Just like my dad always tells me I am.
Thank god he doesn’t know I’ve made getting Sparkles to fall in line my personal mission, or he’d be even more disappointed in me.
I’ve spent every day since then trying to think of what else I can do that pushes the limits without going too far, and I’ve got nothing.
All it’s done is manage to piss off my dad more than normal because “I’ve got my head up my ass” according to him.
He lectured-slash-yelled at me for an hour last week in the car after practice, about how I’ve been playing like shit and no pro team would want me if I keep it up.
We’re not even in season right now; it’s just fall ball for the guys on the team who aren’t playing other sports right now.
Oh, and it was my seventeenth birthday. Happy freaking birthday to me, I guess.
If Kieran could just stop dressing so girly, I’d be able to focus on baseball again. I could simply move on and forget about him.
But, no, he refuses. I swear he’s doing it just to make my life harder at this point.
My phone vibrates in class, pulling me out of my thought spiral that’s once again all about Kieran. I look up to see our teacher absorbed in grading papers while we work on our group project, so I pull my phone out and see the message my dad just sent to the team.
Dad
The pep rally tomorrow might not be for baseball, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be eyes on you all. So let’s set a good example. We’re the best team at this school, so it’s important to be the leaders I know you all are. See you bright and early in the weight room.
Another text follows that’s just for me.
Dad
Don’t embarrass me again by being late to the assembly tomorrow.
I grunt under my breath at that. I showed up late to one meeting freshman year, and now every time there’s an important event—if you can even count a pep rally as important—he reminds me of my single fuck-up two years ago.
There’s no point in responding now. He knows I’m in class, so if I respond before the bell, he’ll ask me why I wasn’t paying attention. It’s always a mind game with him. I shove my phone back in my pocket and try to focus on the group project in front of me.
“So, Danny, did you and your boyfriend really break up?” one of the girls in our group asks the guy next to me.
“Yeah, but he was kind of a jerk, so I’m over it.” He shrugs. “Better this way.”
“Well, then, I’m glad. Good for you.” She laughs and they move on, returning their attention to the project while I sit here, mind reeling with this new information.
Because there’s another gay kid in our class.
Does Kieran know this?
Does Kieran know Danny?
If not, he should take a page out of Danny’s book, because he’s blending in so well I had no idea he existed or that he was gay. No makeup or sequins to be seen. I take in the rest of him, and the jeans and long-sleeved shirt he’s wearing with our school’s logo on it don’t stand out at all.
See? This guy’s not making me mad or forcing my attention at all.
That’s what Kieran doesn’t get. If he would just stop being so damn obnoxious, then I wouldn’t have to bother him anymore.
But he doesn’t listen.
Danny turns to whisper something in the girl’s ear, and I read the back of his shirt. It says “marching band 2009” on it, so he must be in the school band, but he doesn’t seem especially dorky.
I bet Kieran doesn’t know he’s newly single, even if he does know him.
Hmm.
The uniform swap might not have been enough to convince Kieran to stop taunting me with his makeup, but maybe now my dad’s keys could come in handy after all.