My name is Sammy. Sammy Black.

I am gay. I am gay and proud of it.

But then a new boy named Jacob moves to town. Jacob is tall and beautiful and dark. And I am in love with him.

But Jacob seems to be straight. 

And homophobic.

Chapter 1: MacKenzie

I stood in the hallway in front of my locker.
“Morning, closet boy,” teased my best friend, MacKenzie, coming up to me.
“And a great morning to you too, nerd girl!” I teased right back at her.
MacKenzie rolled her eyes. “Oh, shut up. Did you know we’re getting a new student today?”
“Oooh, who is it?” I asked. “Is it a boy?”
“Do you have to be so gay all the time?” she asked.
“If I wasn’t, how could I be your Gay Best Friend Forever, or GBFF?” I asked.
MacKenzie laughed. “Oh, that’s rich.”
“What’s rich?” asked a velvety voice gently.
I look up to see the most beautiful boy ever staring back at me.

Chapter 2: Homophobic

I sat in class, wishing to God that I was somewhere else. The new kid, Jacob, is sitting right next to me, and it’s taking all my willpower not to lean over and kiss him right here in class, in front of all my peers.
I passed him a note. What do you think of gay people?
He readed it and picked up his pencil, then scribbled down his answer. He tossed the note back to me. I think they’re disgusting and dirty. Why? Are YOU gay?
Ha! No way in hell am I admitting that I’m gay now! I scribbled back my answer. No. I just know a lot of gay people.
And do YOU think they’re dirty?
No. I love them. They’re so fun to be around.
If you say so…
BRING! The bell rings, releasing me from this awkward conversation.

Chapter 3: Found Out

“Hey, closet boy, wait up!” MacKenzie called by way of greeting.
“Wait, what did she just call you?” Jacob asked me.
“I called him closet boy,” MacKenzie said. “Because he’s gay and in the closet.”
I flinched as Jacob turned a really scary look my way. “You lied to me faggot.”
I felt like crying. “I didn’t want you to hate me.”
“Why? Because you thought you could force your disgusting and unnatural love on me?” Jacob sneered.
Then he drew back his fist and punched me in the face.

Chapter 4: Tortured

Jacob found me after school the next day, his new group of buddies backing him up.
“Hey, what’s up faggot?”
“Just leave me alone, Jacob,” I said, exasperated.
“Don't speak to me, faggot. Don't even think about opening your f**king mouth to me, demonspawn.”
I’m shaking in fear, wishing to God that they’d just leave me alone. Wishing to hell I could just change my sexuality.
Jacob sneered before he and his buddies began to beat me up.
   I stood in my bathroom at home, trying to assess how badly injured I was.
“Oh, God, Sammy, they really beat you up good,” MacKenzie said, crying. “And I’m so sorry that no one was there to stop those jerks!”
I hug her tightly to my chest. “Sshh, sshh, honey. It’s gonna be okay.”
“I love you, Sammy, I love you so much.”
I stroked her hair gently. “I love you too, honey. It’s okay, I’m okay, you’re okay.”
“I have someone I want you to meet, Sammy,” MacKenzie said.
“Okay. Who is it?”
“My brother. He’s gay too.”

Chapter 5: The Miracle

And that’s how I ended up sitting in MacKenzie’s living room, waiting for her brother to get home from work so that we can meet and he can talk to me and hopefully we can fall in love.
Finally, Marcus comes home and sees us sitting there, me all beat up and stuff.
“Oh, dear. I can see you are hurt!” he exclaims, taking my face gently in his hands. “Who did this to you?”
“Jacob Kelly,” I say.
“That boy you thought was fiiine, MacKenzie?” Marcus looks at his little sister, amused. “And do you find him so fiiine now?”
MacKenzie shakes her head. “I stopped thinking he was fine when I realized he was homophobic.”
Marcus chuckles. “And you are the gay boy?”
I nod.
“Yeah, Marcus, this is closet boy,” MacKenzie says.
Marcus chuckles. “Don't be afraid. Only a few people are homophobic, so you’re pretty safe, and for sure safe with me. And MacKenzie too.”
That makes me cry, sobbing so hard my body convulses.
Marcus kisses my forehead. “Sshh, don't cry. It’s okay. We got you. We got you.”
Maybe one day Marcus will love me. Maybe he won’t. But I do know one thing. MacKenzie and Marcus are my miracle.

The End