Free The Last Changeling by Chelsea Pitcher Page A

the white fabric, spelling out slang words: sick, weak, bomb, money .
    â€œIt’s not funny it happens,” Keegan said. “It’s funny they could read news story after news story about creepster priests and still think I’d be the bad influence.”
    â€œExplain to me the metaphor,” Lora said from her desk by the wall. Today she was wearing ripped jeans under a black babydoll dress—my mom’s “uniform” from college. “I do not understand this coming out .” Her gaze traveled over each member of the group.
    Besides the four of us, three other people had shown up for the weekly meeting of Unity’s Gay-Straight Alliance. There were two girls in the back of the room, snuggled together like ferrets, and a boy sitting at the desk closest to the door. With his darting eyes and sweating hands, he gave off the distinct impression that someone had forced him to come to the meeting, though I was pretty sure that wasn’t the case.
    â€œIt’s about not hiding,” Kylie explained. “Staying in the closet means hiding who you are.”
    â€œAnd maybe … playing in your mother’s pumps,” Keegan added.
    â€œYou didn’t do that.” Kylie smirked at him, her face losing its tension for the first time since she’d arrived.
    Keegan grinned back. “You did.”
    â€œSo the closet is a metaphor for keeping oneself hidden,” Lora said, a curious intensity in her eyes.
    Kylie nodded. “It’s safe and warm, but it’s dark and nobody can see you.”
    â€œSo when you come out, you step into the light of the world,” Lora finished for her.
    Kylie’s gaze traveled to the floor, to the dust gathering like tiny tumbleweeds. “And then everybody can see you.”
    For a minute, everyone was silent.
    Keegan repositioned himself in his chair, the desk scraping across the floor. He seemed to enjoy doing it, like maybe he was leaving his mark. “What’s really interesting is, once you’ve revealed your true colors, people start to reveal theirs.”
    I scanned the room, watching the different reactions. From the back of the room, the two girls nodded. The boy in the front clutched the sides of his desk.
    â€œSo when you came out, your parents actually told you to get out?” I tried to envision such a scenario. I couldn’t imagine what kind of trouble I’d have to get into before my mother threw me out on the street.
    Then again, I was a lot closer to the street than I used to be.
    â€œYup,” Keegan confirmed. “But it was fine. We moved in with our aunt and never looked back.” He shot Kylie a glance. “Well, I did, first.”
    â€œWhat about you?” I asked Kylie, whose hands had taken to wringing themselves.
    â€œOh, she’s only half a heathen,” Keegan said.
    â€œWhat does that mean?” Lora asked.
    â€œI’m bi,” Kylie explained. “Maybe I could’ve stayed at home. But after Keegan left, they were really … strict.”
    â€œThey were always strict,” Keegan said.
    â€œThey’re just … ” Kylie searched for the right words. “They’re just different.”
    â€œI’d say they’re pretty normal.”
    Kylie ignored her brother. “I knew it was only a matter of time before they asked me if I was … you know. I couldn’t lie to them. So I called Auntie Jane and had her come get me.”
    â€œAt, like, two a.m.,” said Keegan.
    Kylie lowered her eyes.
    â€œHey.” He reached for her. “I’m just playing with you.”
    Her voice was soft, a kitten’s mew. “I know.”
    He turned back to me. “Seriously. They’re assholes.”
    A slew of horrific scenarios ran through my mind, complete with dungeon chambers and exorcising priests. Then it hit me, hard as a brick in the face. Parents didn’t have to lock their kids in dungeons to make