The principal sighed. “No, I just want to get this over with.” He looked at his watch. “Does your mother have a habit of being late, Miss Chin? It’s five minutes past—”

There was a gentle knock at the door, and then it opened. “Sorry,” said a woman, tall, her skin dark like Juliana’s, her hair in a braided crown. “I couldn’t find this place. This school has such a confusing design!”

Héctor tried to muffle a laugh, and Mrs. Chin glanced down at him. She smiled—Héctor really liked how her smile made him feel—but then it was gone in an instant as she took in the room. Her gaze turned to the principal, then to Juliana, and then to the two random kids standing awkwardly behind her daughter.

“Well, this is a crowd,” she said, then stuck her hand out to the principal. “Angie Chin. I’m Juliana’s mother.”

Principal Stafford shook her hand, then gestured to the empty chair next to Juliana. “It seems your daughter wanted some sort of audience today, though I can’t imagine why.”

Héctor shuffled from one foot to the other, trying to get a good look at Juliana. But his friend had her head bowed, almost like she was afraid to look up.

“Juliana?” Mrs. Chin ran her hand down her daughter’s back. “Is something wrong?” She glared at the principal. “Is my daughter in trouble?”

Principal Stafford pressed his lips tight, then looked up at Héctor and Sal. “Well . . .”

“No, I want to hear it from her.” Mrs. Chin turned her chair so that it directly faced Juliana. “Honey, you can tell me anything. You know that, right?”

She reached out. Put her fingers gingerly under Juliana’s chin. Tilted her head up.

“Literally anything, okay?”

Juliana didn’t speak at first. She looked to Héctor—who recognized that look. He’d worn it the same morning he stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom, practicing the words over and over again, trying to muster up the courage to say them to his parents.

Mami, Papi . . . I’m gay.

So Héctor smiled at Juliana, sending his words in that expression: We got you. And when he looked to Sal, he saw that they were leaning forward just a bit, nodding.

They both had her back.

“I don’t know that that’s necessary,” said the principal. “I can summarize the issue quickly and—”

“No.”

Juliana had spoken. She shook her head at Principal Stafford. “No, I have to do this.”

She turned to her mother. “I have something to tell you.”

Mrs. Chin took a deep breath. “Okay, baby,” she said, and she leaned back in her chair. “I’m listening.”

Now it was Juliana’s turn to take a deep breath. She cast one last look at Sal and Héctor.

Then she exhaled.

“Mom, I like girls.”