I resist the urge to run a hand through my hair. Lydia would know what to say. What would Lydia say?

“Anyways.” I swallow. “I was just thinking…You know, my friends are the co-presidents of the GSA. Are you gonna be at the meeting later today?”

“Uh.” His brows furrow. “Should I be?”

“Well, I mean…” My voice trails off. Trying to relate and be understanding is overrated. “I’ve been to a few meetings before. It’s cool to be around a bunch of other people who are like you. I just figured that you would want—”

“Wait,” he says. “What do you mean by ‘people like me’?”

Oh God. He’s really going to make me spell it out.

“You know,” I say. “It’s the Gay-Straight Alliance. Other gay guys are there. I mean, there are straight people, too, but I promise queer people are accurately represented and—”

“Simone.” His hand, very delicately, rests on my shoulder. I glance at his face. He looks like he’s fighting back a smirk— Why is he laughing? “I—I think you’ve got it wrong.”

It takes a second for his words to register.

“Oh,” I say. “You’re…not gay.”

He shakes his head. “I’m not gay.”

But the musicals. Miles always wants to talk about musicals. Every rehearsal, he manages to find me, always asking about the musical of the day and wanting me to elaborate…

Wait. He always asks, but he didn’t even know who wrote Aida. I had to tell him. Just like I had to tell him about Rent and Cabaret and Fiddler on the Roof.

Oh.

Everything has gone silent. Then, the only thing I hear is Miles’s quiet laughter in my ear. My cheeks flush. How did I think he was gay? My parents are gay, or at least queer. I should be able to figure this stuff out. It’s annoying as hell when people make assumptions about me, and somehow I’ve ended up doing exactly the same thing with Miles.

But this isn’t a bad thing. This isn’t a bad thing at all. Before I can stop it, I’m smiling. It’s not a normal smile, either. I’m smiling one of those stupid openmouthed smiles that shows all my teeth. I scoot back, pushing myself to my feet.

“Oh,” I repeat. “That’s—dude, that’s awesome. That’s fantastic. I mean, I love gay people, don’t get me wrong. It’s just—I’m glad you’re not. Not gay, I mean. But not because I’m homophobic.”

“Oh my God.” Miles snorts, running a hand over his face. His shoulders shake with silent laughter. “Oh my God, Simone.”