Free Double Feature: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies (The Russel Middlebrook Series Book 3) by Brent Hartinger

"Well, it is ironic. I've spent the last ten years playing high school students."
    "You're twenty-six?" I said, surprised. I knew he probably wasn't a teenager, but I had no idea he was that old.
    "Maybe even more like twenty-eight." He winked. "Don't tell anyone, okay?" He looked at me. "So you hate high school, huh?"
    "Well, hate is a strong word. So I'd say, yeah, it's perfect to describe how I feel about high school."
    He snorted. "You're pretty smart. Anyone ever tell you that?"
    "Yeah. It's part of the reason why I've always been known as Mr. Popularity at my school."
    He laughed one more time, and I wondered why I couldn't ever be this charming around guys who weren't untouchable angels.
    "I didn't go to high school, but I read a lot of high school scripts, so I've learned a few things," Declan McDonnell said. "You really want the secret?"
    "Yeah," I said. "Totally."
    He fingered the pommel of the dagger in his hand. "Adults think they know what's going on," he said, "but they actually have no idea."
    I thought about this. "I know that's a movie cliche, but that's actually true."
    "The less you care about popularity, the cooler you are," he continued.
    "I can't deny it," I said.
    "Finally, high school is about the future."
    "What?"
    "Think about it," he said. "Every year in high school is a new one, a chance to reinvent yourself, a chance to try something different. And every year leads you closer to that ultimate adventure, graduation. When you've played as many valedictorians as I have, and given all those graduation speeches, you know that high school is about looking ahead. Believe me."
    I thought about this last one. It actually made a lot of sense.
    "Well," Declan McDonnell said at last. "I should be getting back."
    "Right," I said. "And thanks! A lot."
    "Sure."
    This time I watched him leave, disappearing up that little flight of steps. It didn't make him any more human, though. Declan McDonnell was the kind of angel who didn't need wings to fly.
     
    *   *   *
     
    When I got home that night, I felt better than I had in a long time. It was partly my second encounter with Declan McDonnell. But it was also the fact that in three days Otto was going to be here, and then everything would be clear. I was certain I'd see him, and it would feel just like old times. Everything would be right again, and I'd know that we could make this long-distance-relationship thing work. Or maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't feel right. Either way, things would finally be settled.
    For the time being, I'd forgotten all about my parents. Let's face it: they were being total babies about this whole gay thing, and I had more important things to worry about.
    Unfortunately, my parents were waiting for me again, right inside the front door. What had they been doing, standing in the foyer?
    "What," I said. I could tell just by looking that whatever they wanted to say, it wasn't good. For one thing, there was more dirt under my mom's fingernails.
    "He can't come," my mom said.
    "What?" I said.
    "That boy. The one from summer camp."
    "Otto?" She knew his name. We'd been talking about Otto's visit for weeks. But now that she knew I was gay and he was my boyfriend, he had suddenly become "that boy."
    "Mom," I said. "What are you talking about?"
    "Your mother and I talked about it," my dad said. "He can't come here for Thanksgiving break."
    "But he's already bought his ticket," I protested. "It's all planned. It's been planned!"
    "Look," my mom said, "did you really think that we were going to let you bring your boyfriend into this house to stay with you?"
    "Bu t— !"
    "There is no 'but'," my mom said. "He can't stay here, and that's final!"

CHAPTER SEVEN
     
    I don't know why I was so surprised. It should have been obvious when my mom had learned Otto was my boyfriend that she wasn't going to let him come and stay with us. I guess I'd deliberately avoided doing the math.
    But now what did I do? I honestly didn't know. I needed Otto to come