Our parents had all come to accept that this was the new normal, though my mother was still shamelessly trying to set me up with that Republican senator’s son. I doubted our families would ever sit in the White House together sharing a holiday meal, but anything was possible.
Finally, I got off the train at Penn Station and made my way in, keeping an eye out for Dre. We hadn’t seen each other for three weeks, and it had felt like forever.
“Nice socks,” said a voice behind me.
I pulled up my pants to reveal my bright yellow socks covered in pink hearts. “Thank you. My boyfriend gave them to me.”
“Boyfriend? Shucks. The sixes are always taken.”
I slapped Dre’s arm. “Kiss me before I kill you.”
And he did. Dre kissed me and everything fell into place. I forgot about missing him and how much I hated being apart. I lived in that kiss, ignoring the people watching us. There was always someone watching and taking pictures and trying to write stories about us. I no longer cared.
“Miss me?” Dre asked.
“A little.”
Dre rolled his eyes. “All right. I’ve got the whole weekend planned—”
“Is your roommate going to be there this time? It’s weird when he watches us make out.”
Dre shook his head. “We’ve got the place to ourselves.”
“Perfect,” I said. “I do have homework to do, though, so we have to make time for that.”
“Only you would bring homework to do on our romantic weekend.”
“Homework is sexy. Philosophy homework is sexiest of all.”
Dre laughed because what else was he going to do?
“And we’ve got the Drag Queens Read event on Sunday morning. Are you sure you want to do this? Your mom is definitely going to see the pictures.”
I hadn’t told my mother I’d agreed to let Dre dress me in drag so that I could read stories to kids, and I wasn’t sure how she was going to react, but I was living my best life and she would just have to deal with it.
“I’ve been thinking of names.”
Dre took my hand and led me toward the doors. “I’m scared,” he said. “Let’s hear ’em.”
“Juno Edid.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Like Betty Don’t?” he said. “Betty Don’t. Juno Edid. It sounds better when you say it out loud.”
“No it doesn’t. Next.”
“Dinah Meetya?”
“It’s fine. You don’t need a name.”
“Augusta Wind.”
“How much worse is it gonna get?”
“Dixie—”
“Nope!”
“I love you, Dre.”
Dre leaned his head against my shoulder as we walked, and I had never felt so happy. “I love you too, Dean. You’re still not using any of those names.”
Acknowledgments
Writing The State of Us has been an absolute joy in every way, but bringing Dean and Dre’s story to life wouldn’t have been possible without the help of some amazing people.
I want to thank Dave Linker for trusting me with this story, and for his steady guidance throughout. Carolina Ortiz for her exceptional insight and always thoughtful questions. Jessica Berg for pulling everything together and Jen Strada for her copyediting wizardry (and for loving em dashes as much as I do). I also want to thank Corina Lupp, who designed the cover, and Mia Nolting, who provided the illustrations, for creating a cover that is nothing less than a celebration of love.
This is my first book with HarperTeen, and I know that there are a thousand people behind the scenes I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet who have been and will be absolutely instrumental to The State of Us. I hope that I’ll get to continue working with you all so that I can one day thank you in person. Until then, thank you for all your hard work. It means the world to me.
As always, I owe endless gratitude to Katie Shea Boutillier, who steers the ship and keeps me from foundering. I also owe many thanks to the entire team at Donald Maass, which has been with me through nine books now, and remains the solid foundation upon which I am able to build my career.
I wouldn’t be able to write a single word without the tireless support of my family. They may not always understand what I’m talking about, but they always listen.
In addition to being my first book for HarperTeen, The State of Us is also the first book I wrote in full in Seattle, and I want to give a shout-out to the outstanding team at Third Place Books, especially Avery Peregrine, for making me feel so welcome in a new city.
I owe any success I’ve had to the teachers and librarians whose love and support has sometimes been the only thing that kept me going. The work they do so often goes unrecognized, but I want them to know that we see them and appreciate all that they do.
And, finally, thank you, readers. Dean and Dre exist because of you.
About the Author
Photo credit Chris Piedra
SHAUN DAVID HUTCHINSON is the award-winning author of several books for young adults and the editor of multiple young adult anthologies. A native Floridian, Shaun currently resides in Seattle, where he spends his free time running, baking, and designing virtual worlds. He can be found online at www.shaundavidhutchinson.com or on Twitter @shauniedarko.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
Books by Shaun David Hutchinson
The State of Us
Before We Disappear
Back Ad
DISCOVER
your next favorite read
MEET
new authors to love
WIN
free books
SHARE
infographics, playlists, quizzes, and more
WATCH
the latest videos
www.epicreads.com
Copyright
HarperTeen is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
THE STATE OF US. Copyright © 2020 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
www.epicreads.com
Cover illustrations © 2020 by Mia Nolting
Cover design by Corina Lupp
* * *
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Hutchinson, Shaun David, author.
Title: The state of us / by Shaun David Hutchinson.
Description: First edition. | New York : HarperTeen, [2020] | Audience: Ages 13 up. | Audience: Grades 10-12. | Summary: “Dean and Dre, the seventeen-year-old sons of the Republican and Democratic candidates for president of the United States, fall in love on the sidelines of their parents’ presidential campaigns” — Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019044941 | ISBN 978-0-06-295031-4 (hardcover)
Subjects: CYAC: Politics, Practical—Fiction. | Presidential candidates—Fiction. | Dating (Social customs)—Fiction. | Gays—Fiction. | Friendship—Fiction. | Family life—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.H96183 St 2020 | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019044941
* * *
Digital Edition MARCH 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-295033-8
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-295031-4
2021222324PC/LSCH10987654321
FIRST EDITION
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada<
br />
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Bay Adelaide Centre, East Tower
22 Adelaide Street West, 41st Floor
Toronto, Ontario, M5H 4E3
www.harpercollins.ca
India
HarperCollins India
A 75, Sector 57
Noida
Uttar Pradesh 201 301
www.harpercollins.co.in
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand
Unit D1, 63 Apollo Drive
Rosedale 0632
Auckland, New Zealand
www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF, UK
www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
www.harpercollins.com
The State of Us Page 28