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“Explains what?”
“Why Bones asked me how I knew you.” He scoffed. “As if he didn’t already know.”
I sucked in a breath. “What did you say?”
“Relax. Jesus, you worry too much. Nobody’s gonna figure out the connection unless you tell them. Besides, I was able to get out of answering, thanks to Emil.”
“Are you and Emil…” I trailed off, but he got the gist.
“What? No! Where did you get that idea? Oh. Let me guess, Bones? Ugh, you’re all the same.”
My stomach tightened. “What does that mean?”
“The idea that all male dancers are effeminate and gay. It might be true in my case, but not in every case.”
Holy shit, had he just admitted…
“You’re right, and it sucks.” My chest was throbbing. “For the record, I’ve been pushing back every time I hear that bullshit.”
“Why is that? You an ally or something?”
“An ally?” I was trying to get my thoughts to line up after that bombshell, but it was difficult. Still, I didn’t want him to get the wrong idea. “Well, yeah, but also…I get it.”
“How do you mean?” He studied me for a beat. “You’re queer too?”
“Holy shit, keep your voice down.” I gripped his arm and glanced over his shoulder, but no one was paying us any attention.
“Jesus, you’re a walking heart attack.” He slid his arm from my grasp. “And I thoughtIhad some hang-ups.”
I clenched my jaw. “Suppose our struggles are different.”
I hadn’t actually admitted it aloud to him, but he figured out my sexuality anyway, and somehow that brought me relief—that someone knew. Thatheknew.
“You can say that again. I have too much to worry about other than being gay.”
“Like what?”
“Like keeping my scholarship so I can graduate. And helping my mom with my sister when she works nights so she doesn’t have to use daycare or a babysitter. Money is tight as it is.” A wash of color inched across his cheeks as if he hadn’t meant to say all that. Or maybe just that last part about money.
Instead of focusing on that, I said, “I didn’t even know you had a sister. Cool. Does your stepdad—”
“He walked out on us, so…” He looked away.
I supposed the money thing made more sense now. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“So yeah, I’m worried about keeping afloat. I don’t have time to worry about my sexuality even if the stereotypes do rub me the wrong way.”
“I’m sorry my predicament sounds ridiculous to you.”
Lark sighed. “No, I’m sorry. That was rude of me. But how could I not be when just a few weeks ago, you didn’t even want to acknowledge me?”
“I…that was shitty of me. I let my fear get in the way,” I replied, and his glum expression seemed to brighten. “Maybe we could be friends.”
“Maybe.” He smirked. “What will you tell your elite friends? What if I wear something, God forbid, with a low thread count?”
I rolled my eyes. There was that sarcasm again. But could I blame him, when I’d been pretending he didn’t exist?
“There’s no reason we can’t be friends—or at least civil to each other. The truth is, we went through something important together and I’m glad to get to know you again, now as an adult.” I chewed my lip. “And I know you won’t betray my trust. How, I’m not sure; just do.”
