“It wasn’t a punishment, really,” I say around a blob of candy. “I don’t know. They asked me if I wanted to go and my dad said it was really important to him, so I did it. It’s not like they made me.”

“Okay.” Brie rolls her eyes. “And you’re telling me that it was completely fine? That you just spent, like, all of middle school there and no one found out about your parents?”

I bite my lip. No one found out about my parents while I was at Our Lady of Lourdes, but they found out about me being positive, and I’m not sure which is worse. I don’t know what to say, so I start unwrapping another piece of candy.

“It wasn’t just middle school.” I decide to look at Jack instead of Brie. His face is open and kind. Brie isn’t evil or anything, not like Ralph, but she doesn’t always come across as the most compassionate. “I actually didn’t leave until last year. I go to a different school now.”

“Oh,” Jack says. At the same time, Brie asks, “Why?”

They lock eyes. I can’t tell if they’re having a romantic moment or silently sparring each other. Maybe it’s a little of both.

“Well, I…” My voice trails off. Because, really, what am I going to say?

I could tell them a lie and they’d probably go along with it. It’s just that I’m tired of keeping secrets. I’m tired of being alone, wading through this shitfest by myself.

“Have you guys ever had trouble at school?” I clear my throat. Maybe this is closer to Julie’s original topic than I intended to go. “Like, with people finding out that you’re positive or anything?”

It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Brie look sorry.

“Oh shit,” Jack says. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.”

It’s the first time I’ve ever heard Jack curse.

“It’s just…” My throat is tightening, making my voice croak out. “It sucks.”

Brie scoots her chair over so that her shoulder is pressed against mine. Jack gets up, returning with the entire bag of candy. If I wasn’t holding back tears before, I am now. People shouldn’t be allowed to be this nice.

“No one’s ever found out about me,” Brie says as I grab a mini Snickers. “But I get how shitty it can be. Like, in health class, my teacher just spent an entire period ranting about HIV ravaging Africa and how life-threatening it is. No mention of the pills you can take to keep you alive or how doctors can stop it from being transmitted, you know?”