Without waiting for a response, Kathryn and River each extended a hand, and Larsen stood, immediately leaning back against the wall, as if he weren’t sure he could keep his balance.
“Oh my. Did something awful happen at home?”
Larsen nodded.
“Come on, we’re going to Principal Dreighton’s office.” Kathryn spoke with fierce determination. “This nightmare you’re living is officially over, and I’m just the person to end it.”
`*`*`*`
River had no idea what had happened to Larsen. Kathryn Winterstrom had taken him directly to the principal’s office, and he hadn’t heard a word since. At lunchtime, River went to the cafeteria to find Kathryn to see if he could get some news, but she wasn’t at her usual place behind the food station. Just as he was wondering what was going on, Principal Dreighton’s secretary walked into the cafeteria to find River and ask him to follow her.
In Hal Dreighton’s office, River was relieved to see Larsen looking much better. He had showered and was wearing a brown Mystekal High T-shirt. And he looked happier than River had ever seen him.
“Hey, Riv!”
“Well, hey there yourself, dude. You had me worried. You were, like, zombie of the desert this morning. My whole family has been worried. My mom’s been texting me all day.”
River, realizing that he had just admitted to texting when he shouldn’t have been, looked rather sheepishly at the principal.
“Under the circumstances, I fully understand, River. But you know the rule: no texting during class. Okay?” Principal Dreighton pointed to an empty chair. “No need to stand.”
River sat down quickly. “Uh, thanks.”
Kathryn, who was sitting next to Larsen on the couch, smiled. “River, as Larsen’s closest friend, we wanted you to know what was happening. It is wonderful news. Larsen will be coming to live with me.”
“Really! Wow! That’s effing fantastic!”
Principal Dreighton laughed. “Thanks for not using the actual expletive, River.”
“Gee, I never realized how hard it was to have a conversation in front of a principal before. Ha ha. So, what’s the story?”
Larsen’s face was bright with excitement. “Well, Mrs. Winterstrom and I ran into each other last night at the supermarket, and we talked for a long time. I told her all about my home situation.”
Kathryn nodded. “May I interrupt for just a moment, Larsen?”
“Sure.”
“River, as many people in this town know, I had a son, Peter, who died many years ago. Like Larsen, he was a fine, young gay man. But he never had a chance to realize his dreams, much less grow into adulthood. Anyway, fast forwarding to the here and now, I have a lovely home with a big extra bedroom, and I am honored that Larsen has agreed to be my permanent houseguest. For many years, I fostered children, and it has always been a very positive experience for me.”
Larsen excitedly pounded the fist of his one hand into the palm of his other one three times. “Isn’t that great, Riv?”
“Yeah, for sure, but what about your mom? She’s just gonna let you leave?”
“It’s kind of complicated, but Principal Dreighton and Mrs. Winterstrom have been on about a hundred phone calls this morning. The thing is this: last night, when my mother and Reggie were screaming at me, the neighbors overheard and called the cops. After I left, the police came to the house. They weren’t too happy about what the neighbors told them or about what they saw in the house: two loud, sloppy drunks. And let’s just say that Reggie Lee White isn’t their favorite person. So, after a whole lot of back-and-forth, my mother agreed to let me go and not fight it … especially since Reggie is an ex-con and not exactly considered a good influence for me. He was so drunk, he was bragging to the cops about how my mom fell for him so hard that she let him have his own key after only two weeks of dating. If you call what they’ve been doing ‘dating.’”
River looked at the principal for a reaction, but he just smiled.
“The cards were stacked high against my mother and she knew it. She doesn’t want anything to do with me, anyway. And even if she got rid of that loser, she’d still be bullying me every day for being gay. It was easier for her to sign the papers to let me go. I’ll be eighteen in a few months, so the expiration date on her parental consent had a short shelf life anyway.”
“When are you going to go pick up all of your stuff?”
“My mom agreed to be out of the house for two hours after school. Normally, she’d be gone, but she’s off today, too. And the cops told her that if she messes with any of my things, she’ll be in trouble.”
“Great! So this means you can take the job with my mom.”
“Sure does.”
River stood up and punched a victorious fist into the air. “Way to go! She’ll be so jazzed. About everything. Jess and my dad, too. Even the Mugster. What are you going to do now?”
Principal Dreighton laughed. “I think Larsen is going to have something to eat and finish out the school day. Just like you’re going to do, River.”
River laughed. “Ha ha. You’re a crack up, Principal Dreighton.”
`*`*`*`
Eve’s students were surprised when, twenty minutes before the end of class, she asked everyone to put their books away.
“As you all know, especially Larsen Davis, there’s been some bullying going on in this school. I think word has gotten around to every single one of you that Jax Reinhardt has been suspended for a week. He’s also been required to get some counseling. Let’s hope for everyone’s sake that Jax comes back with a lot more sense and humanity.
“Now, while I appreciate that Jax has been punished, it would be very inappropriate for any of you to tease him about it, to rub it in, or to bully him in any way despite what he’s done. Two wrongs don’t make a right. It’s a cliché, but in this situation, it has its merits.”
Antonio raised his hand.
“Mr. Reyes. You want to say something?”
Antonio looked over at his girlfriend, Bianca Torres, who nodded as a show of support. Then he stood up. “Um, I have something I need to say. I was just going to say it to Larsen, but someone very special convinced me to talk to the whole class.”
Bianca smiled again and blew Antonio a kiss.
“Okay, then. Come on up to the front of the class. The floor is yours.”
As Eve took her seat, Antonio walked nervously to the front of the class. He looked at Bianca, then at Larsen, then at everyone else. “Look, um, like I said, I was just going to talk to Larsen, and to you, Ms. Carrow, but what I want to say needs to be heard by everyone.
“First, I want to thank you for always keeping the conversation real in this class. I mean, you’re a sweet lady, and you sure had an SOB for an old man. Most people in your situation wouldn’t even talk about the things he did, but you’re always down about being open with the truth. And probably, um, you don’t want to carry his shame, and that’s really good and … sorry, I’m seriously nervous, and, well, no secret, I’m not elegant like …”
Eve smiled. “Eloquent?”
“Oh, yeah, that. Elephant. I mean, eloquent.”
The entire class burst out laughing, as did Antonio, who seemed to be breathing easier.
“I think it was the Friday before last, remember, when we were talking about your father, and Jax was starting some sh … I mean, some stuff with Larsen. Then he turned on you, Ms. Carrow, saying that your father was the biggest bully of them all and went into a whole bunch of ugly that he used to lay on Vanesa’s sister, Sophia, about Mexicans. Man, I had erased all that from my mind somehow. I’d forgotten that he said we should all be sterilized until we die off. That’s real bad. And it hit me so hard in the gut I couldn’t even eat dinner that night. The minute I heard that, I felt like a real piece of sh … oh, fuck it, like a real piece of shit raggin’ on Larsen for being gay. Made me no better than your old man.”
Eve smiled proudly.
Antonio looked at Larsen. �
��I’m sorry, man. No bullshit. I promise you, I’ll never mess with you again. Now, Jax, he’s been my friend a long time. He’s kind of clued in that I’m not going to be his bully partner anymore, but I can’t say how he’s gonna be when he comes back to school. But I need to give him another chance, just like I hope you all do with me. Well, that’s all I gotta say.”
Antonio rushed back to his seat as the class gave him a standing ovation. Bianca got out of her chair, gave Antonio a kiss on the cheek, and scooted back to her seat.
Eve stood and faced the class. “A kiss well deserved. Thank you, Bianca. Antonio, moments like these are the ones that teachers remember forever. I am very proud of you, and I hope everyone in this class is as well.”
Larsen raised his hand.
“Yes, Larsen?”
“I just want to say thanks to Antonio. I know that wasn’t easy. Means a lot to me. Apology accepted.”
“Thanks, man.”
Eve walked over to the windows and pulled down one of the shades. “Excuse me. This light is killing my eyes. I didn’t want to interrupt Antonio’s speech.”
River chuckled. “Oh, is that all? Thought something shady might be going on here.”
Eve made a face but her eyes laughed. “Oh, River, you can do better than that. … Now, there’s just one more thing on my agenda for today. This Friday, I’m told we’ll have two new students. Erik and Avalon Martelli. Erik is a senior, so he’ll be in classes with all of you, and Avalon is in the tenth grade. Erik and Avalon have a sister, Isabella, but she’s in the eighth grade, so she’ll be attending the middle school. Therefore, in the spirit of being kind to one another, and knowing how hard it is to fit in, I hope you’ll all welcome our new students. That’s all I have to say, so you can talk quietly among yourselves until the bell rings.”
Chapter 8
“And last but not least on the tour of your new home, this will be your bedroom.”
Larsen looked around the large bedroom that was easily two and a half times the size of the room he had in his mother’s home.
“This looks more like a studio apartment than a bedroom. I’ve never had a desk this big, either. Or a sitting area with my own TV. And three windows.” Larsen walked around the room and looked out each of the large windows. “What a beautiful view! I’m kind of overwhelmed by everything.”
“Well, it’s all for you, Larsen. And speaking of windows, you’ll find that you’ll see the most glorious sunsets if you look out the west window every night. Peter always used to look out at the mountains, and he loved the sunsets because they were all so beautiful, and there are never two exactly the same. But he loved the night sky the most.”
“Really. Why?”
“Away from the bright city lights, you can really see some incredible starry nights. The sky there is open, free of light pollution, so the stars seem even more spectacular, closer to you. Peter first fell in love with the sky when he was very young. Nicholas and I would take him stargazing at Joshua Tree National Park. As he got older and realized that he had a gift worthy of sharing with the world, he always used to tell me, ‘Mom, someday I’m going to be a superstar. But first, I’m going to be a desert star.’ I laughed and said, ‘Well, it stands to reason that you’ll be known locally first. And he said, ‘Well, of course, but that’s not what I meant. I’m going to be the brightest star in the sky so you can always find me.’ I didn’t analyze his words at the time, but now I wonder why Peter said that. Did he foresee something nobody else did?”
Larsen felt goose bumps. “Wow. So, have you found Peter’s star?”
“Oh, I’d love to say yes. When we grieve for someone we love so deeply, we like to believe that miracles can happen. That’s human nature; don’t you think? I’ve been looking in the desert sky for years, and the brightest star I see is what I’m quite sure is the North Star. I won’t talk myself into believing otherwise. But honestly, Larsen, I believe Peter was just speaking metaphorically, never having any idea that I would survive him and spend years searching for his star in the heavens.”
“If I ever see his star, I’ll let you know. I hope Peter won’t mind me staying in his bedroom.”
Kathryn sat on the bed and motioned for Larsen to sit next to her. “When my son first died, I told myself that nobody else would ever set foot in his room. But after a while, I realized that turning Peter’s room into a shrine was wrong and unhealthy. This room was meant to be a place of joy as it was when Peter lived here. When I became a foster parent, I had many children live here, and each and every one of them left a happier person. To me, that’s the greatest homage I could ever pay to my son’s memory.”
“You’re a smart lady, Kathryn. Peter would be so proud of you. I mean, wherever he is, I know he is proud.”
Choking up, Kathryn nodded her thanks.
Larsen looked alarmed. “I hope I didn’t upset you by saying that.”
“No, not at all. Thank you for allowing me to talk about Peter, and I couldn’t be more pleased that you’re going to make my house your home. By living here, you make it much more of a home for me, too. Now, did I show you where the dirty clothes hamper is?”
“I’d really like it if you show me where the washer and dryer are. You don’t need to do my laundry for me. I can do that myself.”
Kathryn laughed. “You are very independent. Sure, I’ll take you to the basement after you get settled. I’m going to leave you to unpack, and if you’re ready in about an hour, we’ll have our first meal at home together.”
Larsen reached over and gave Kathryn a hug. “I can’t thank you enough for everything.”
“It is my extraordinary pleasure.”
Kathryn rose and walked out of the room, turning to look at Larsen as she did.
As Larsen looked around the room, feeling a sense of peace he had never known, he heard his phone sound. He pulled it out of his pocket to see who had sent him a text:
Don’t U B 4getting who ur flesh & blood mama is boy.
Trying not to let the text rattle him, Larsen felt that this was the closest his mother would ever come to saying that she missed him.
`*`*`*`
Larsen caught up with River at his locker.
“Hey, Lars. You look better every day since you’ve moved into Mrs. Winterstrom’s house. It’s only been four days, but you look like a dude with a heavy load off his back.”
“I feel like one. Especially with Jax being suspended this week. Not sure what to expect when he gets back on Monday.”
“Don’t sweat it now. Or then.”
“I’m not. Trying to focus on all of the great things that have happened. I feel so free. Just put ‘Tonight’ from West Side Story on my cell as my ringtone. Sounds like no big deal, but I couldn’t even do that before. My mom had a fit. Said it was ‘gay music.’ ”
“Oh, man.”
“Hey, Riv, speaking of moms, I’m meeting yours at the theater after school. She’s going to show me around, and then my first day at work will be Monday. She said I might get to be a part of the documentary, too. But she can’t promise because it’s her friend Lisa’s project, not hers. I’m just so happy to have this job … and a new home.”
“You miss your mom at all?”
Larsen hesitated and looked down for a moment. “I don’t miss being bullied. I don’t miss having to hole myself up in that tiny bedroom. I don’t miss Reggie White or any of the other men she’s brought home. I miss my mom being a mom. But I missed that even when I was living with her. You know?”
“Yeah. I do. There were several years when Jessie and I had a similar deal. But nothing like what you’ve gone through.”
“My mom won’t ever make a comeback like yours did.”
As Larsen and River stood in the hallway talking, two sophomore boys passed, speaking loudly.
“That must be the new chick in our class.”
“Yeah, you must be right. I know it’s Halloween and shit, but who comes dressed to school for it? What do you think s
he’s tryin’ to be? Looks like her clothes came from her dead grandmother’s attic or something.”
“You ain’t lying, bro. You gonna ask her out?”
“Hell, no. I’d ask yo mama out first.”
“Ha! Shut up, fool.”
Larsen and River exchanged looks. Listening to the sophomore boys’ conversation didn’t bode well for how the new student might be treated.
“Hey, Lars. I’m going to go talk to her, okay? Catch you later, dude.”
River smiled and walked toward the petite girl with the blue-and-green hair. Dressed unlike anyone at Mystekal High, she wore bell bottom jeans with flowers and butterflies embroidered all over them, a green chiffon blouse with lace sleeves, and oodles of bracelets and necklaces all made from colored beads, crystals, and decorative metal. As River approached, she turned inward, as if she were afraid of what was coming.
“Hi, I’m River. Are you the new girl?”
“Guess so. You’d kinda remember if you’d seen me before. Does everyone in this school stare so much?”
“Some people just don’t know what to do with themselves. Don’t people stare where you come from?”
“Not like I’ve been stared at in the whole fifteen minutes I’ve been here.”
“Where are you from?”
“Jersey City. Right across the Hudson River from New York. We’ve got all kinds of people in JC. From all over. Back in my old school, I didn’t stick out the way I seem to be doing here. Oh, my name is Avalon.”
“That’s a cool name. I like it.”
“River is a cool name, too. My mom and dad named me Avalon because they were in Avalon, New Jersey, when they had sex and got pregnant with me.”
River grinned as he took in Avalon’s surprising information. “Oh, okay. Well, I guess it’s good that my mom and dad didn’t do the same thing. I might just be plain old ‘Bed Dalworth.’ Ha ha. Or maybe ‘Backseat Dalworth. ’Then again, maybe I was conceived in a river. Hmm.”
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