“You’re like the invisible man. You quit football, and everyone talks about you and how great you are. Smart and confident. Smiling like a goon the past few weeks, but I never see you. So I figured I’d find you here and see if you want to run today,” Nate said, getting up from the chair.
Bas walked into the room, pausing when he saw them, then shaking his head and making his way to a group of students gathered in the corner around some French books.
“I run every day. I just don’t do it here. Shouldn’t you be practicing?”
“Coach gave us all free workout time tonight. I have to do something, but I’d rather run than play test tackles with Jonah and Hank.” He stepped in close, inside Adam’s personal space. Adam took an involuntary step backward. “You were the only true athlete on the team. When you quit, it’s all just about who can tackle the most guys. It’s so dumb. At least I knew if I threw the ball, you’d be there to catch it.”
“And get tackled by the gorillas on the other team ‘cause our offensive line could never move fast enough to catch up and guard me.” Adam set his book bag on the table and began to line up the homework he had yet to finish for the day. He hated bringing homework home since it cut into his time with Ru.
“I get it. I do. Can I at least run with you? I haven’t felt that challenged in weeks.”
With him and Ru? They never did anything at the gym other than work out anyway. When Adam’s folks weren’t there, they didn’t even hold hands anymore, after one particularly large bodybuilder had called them fags in passing.
Adam didn’t like the word much and hadn’t really heard it outside of media and the books he had been reading about kids his age coming out. It really did get under his skin just thinking about it, being judged by people who didn’t know him at all. Ru didn’t seem bothered, but Adam didn’t want it directed at either of them again anytime soon.
“Sure. If you want to meet me at the community center after school. I use their indoor track to run,” Adam told him. Now that they were into November, the cold air had really begun to settle in. There was no running outside anymore. And Ru hated the cold, bundling up under multiple layers until it was like unwrapping the most insane gag gift every time he stepped inside.
Nate rewarded him with a glowing smile, not his normal, high-school-jock subdued one. “Thanks. I’ll see you there.” He got up and left while Adam glared at his homework. Distracted by the idea of Nate and Ru being in the same place. Would Nate say stuff to Ru? Would something about them come out? His gut flipped over at the idea that Nate would tell everyone.
“Watch for grabby hands,” Bas whispered into his ear a moment later, and then he stalked back to his group. What was that supposed to mean?
