“Hi, dyke,” Lisa said as Shannon walked to class.

  “Don’t fall in love with us now,” Jane added, stepping in front and mildly twerking.

  Hold it together. You know why you’re here. Shannon’s mind raced. Some of these kids went to her church. If her dad found out, she’d die.

  “Come on, I did what I was told,” she stammered. Of course she’d done much more.

  “Aren’t you supposed to have a lanky D&D boyfriend by now?” Lisa whispered in her ear.

  “Yeah, so that isn’t gonna work for me at all!” Macy yelled from down the hall. She stomped up, all attitude. “Hello, girls. I’ll be your bully for the day.” She flashed a bright, dangerous smile.

  Shannon’s mind flashed to the plan. “Macy, what about—”

  Macy looped her arm through Shannon’s. “Don’t get any ideas,” she said with a wink.

  “Are you two really making gay jokes?” Lisa sneered. “Come on. The only gay joke around here is you two—usually fighting to see who can keep Sam’s ass in their mouth longest. And now that Shannon doesn’t want to suckle at monster bitch tit, you’re teasing her?”

  “Oh, if it isn’t the voice of losers everywhere,” Lisa shot back.

  “Coming for the head of the Future Losers of America Club,” Macy snapped “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “We’re going to tell Sam!” Jane said.

  “Good. Tell Sam my AR-15 says hi.” Macy yelled, voice low and dangerous. “And my new dog.”

  Lisa and Jane felt the fear hit like a wave. They turned to see Sarah in human form—face hard as iron, radiating menace that emptied the hallway. She’d found Macy before Kim.

  “This is the part where you run away,” Sarah told them flatly.

  They bolted.

  Shannon exhaled in relief. “I thought we had a plan?” She said meekly.

  “Yeah, I think it needs revisions that don’t involve you killing yourself,” Macy said. She pulled Sarah in for a fierce side-hug as they walked. “It’s one thing to have you pretend to like my Adam. But forcing someone to play D&D is cruel and unusual punishment.” She joked.

  “I don’t get how you’re into Adam,” Shannon said.

  “Me either.” Macy turned and pointed a finger in Shannon’s face. “But I am. So don't let my new friendly attitude give you any ideas.” She warned playfully.

  “No, I… would. I mean…”

  Macy smiled. “I’m probably gonna make a lot of lesbian jokes, Shannon.” She shrugged. “But while you’re hanging out with me, no one else will get away with them.”

  Something about Macy’s words filled Shannon with warmth.

  “What if they tell my dad?” Shannon asked. “He’s a pastor.”

  Macy’s eyebrows cocked in that way Shannon had come to recognize as her face’s way of asking if someone realized how stupid they were. “At the United fucking Church?! Don’t they have the gay flag on their homepage?”

  “I think it’s called the pride flag,” Shannon said meekly. She’d seen it a few times.

  “Gay flag, pride flag, whatever. Look, being gay isn’t my thing. But I don’t have to chew bones and pee outside to be friends with Snowball here. So forgive me if I get the terms wrong. But I know one thing for sure: my mom lived a lie for years. And when she left, I saw the strongest people I know torn apart by it.”

  “Oh…”

  “What if we go tell your dad?” Macy offered. Shannon gave a weary nod. “I mean, I’m gonna bring Adam. Not that you won’t make someone a great girlfriend someday.” Macy joked, clearly still uncomfortable with the subject but trying.

  “What’s a lesbian?” Sarah asked innocently.

  “Oh, sweetheart,” Macy said, patting her head. “I’ll let your very scary-sounding parents explain that one to you.”