Chapter 20

Yesterday, Head Counselor Dean kicked us out if his office in a hurry, clearly excited. I don't know what he had in mind, but it's given me hope. It has noticeably brightened the girl's moods, too. Heck, since word got around that we're working to fix things, the camp has lightened up.

"What do you think Dean meant yesterday?" Riley bit into her breakfast burrito.

As if on cue, a grey minivan rolled into the parking lot.

Tiffany whispered under her breathe, "Guys, whatever you do don't get into the van, even if it has candy."

"Aren't those usually white vans?" I glanced at Tiffers, who playfully stuck her tongue out at me.

Riley whistled, "I might not get in the van if there's candy, but I sure as hell will if she's in there."

I turned around to see a VERY attractive n, and an okay looking getting out. He wasn't ugly, let's just say... he's not my type. But the girl certainly is.

"Oooooh, and the guy's cute too!" Riley looked both of them up and down.

"Eh, he's alright." I continued checking out the woman.

"Shut up, Chase, it's only cause you're gay."

"Um, you're gay too."

"Yes, but I'm only fifty percent gay."

"Both of you shut up, and Devin, don't you have a girlfriend?" Tiffany smirked.

"Just because I'm looking at the menu, doesn't mean I gonna order." I stuck my tongue out.

Tiffers narrowed her eyes, I immediately felt bad. I shouldn't say that especially after what I did with Tiny.

"Sorry, I shouldn't joke like that, it was stupid." I submissively looked down.

"It's fine," Tiffany laughed, "It's not like you would act on it." Tiny and I both grimaced at the comment.

"Um, excuse me?" I turned to look at the woman who had just gotten out of the van, "Do you know where we can find Dean Higgins' office?"

"Oh! Let me take you!" Riley practically leaped out of her chair.

"Oh! That's so sweet of you! Thank you so much!" The woman hugged Riley. Probably not knowing what she was doing which I think is a little dumb, you don't need gaydar to know that this place is crawling with gays.

"No problemo." Riley turned to wink at us.

"Campers?" Dean stood at the baby stage thingy to get our attention. I really need to find out the name for that thing.

"This is Mila Norris, she is a journalist for the New York Times, she will be pulling some of you aside to interview you. This is Steve Jacobi, he is a photographer who will be taking pictures. Treat them with respect and carry-on throughout the day like you usually do. They are here to help our camp by getting the word out. Any questions?"

"Is Steve single?" a boy called out.

"No, he's taken, any more questions?"

A couple hands came up, Dean sighed, "Mila is also taken." There were no more hands.

"Okay, great! Enjoy your day, everyone!"

I stood to throw my plate away, "Hey, you!" Mila Norris approached me. "Is it okay if I ask you a few questions?"

"Yeah," I shrugged passively as if this beautiful woman wasn't talking to me.

"Why are you at this camp?"

"My parents sent me here so I can be 'fixed'."

"So they have no idea this is a gay camp?"

"Not to my knowledge."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Word has gotten out about this camp supporting gays. My friend, Asmaa was taken away by her father. He literally dragged her out of the cabin and into his car. If her dad knew, what's stopping my parents from knowing, too?"

"Literally?"

I nodded, "He yanked her out of bed and onto the floor, giving her a nasty floor burn. After hurting Mia, he grabbed Asmaa and dragged her down the stairs, out the door, through the wood chips and into his car."

"You're shaking," she commented. Mila stared at my trembling hand. "What did he do to Mia?"

"He deliberately called her by the wrong pronoun and kicked her in the gut."

She wrote some more things down on her pad. "How were you feeling?"

"Scared... Scared for Asmaa, scared that someone else's parents were going to come in and drag them away, too. Scared that my parents would come and drag me away. I don't truly feel safe at home, or school, but I do feel safe here. I love this place and I'm not the only one. When we found out that this camp was going to be shut down, all hell broke loose. Kids panicked, I panicked. So many kids got anxiety attacks finding out that a place like this was going to be shut down, and that's saying something. That actually says a lot, kids shouldn't be terrified of going back into the real world. A world that hates us for who we choose to love,or who we choose to be."

Riley's POV-

I was at the library when the very attractive journalist walked in and approached me.

"Is it okay if I interview you?"

I nodded and followed her outside to a bench.

"I'm just going to ask a couple questions okay? Answer honestly please."

I nodded.

"Why are you here?"

"Cuz I'm Bisexual," I shrugged.

"Your parents sent you here for liking girls?"

"No, they would be okay with it if I were simply gay. When I came out, they told me that I can't like both and that I'm disgusting. They called me a slut because that's what bisexuals are, they just want to sleep around with everybody."

"How'd that make you feel?"

"Not good, my parents were pretty cool. What they said really hurt. I was close to them and I trusted them so when my sister and I came out, they didn't react like we expected. My twin sister is Asexual, they said that she's just to immature to not want sex. And that if that's not the case then she's mentally sick."

Mila interviewing Eva

"What did your parents say about your sexuality?"

"They said that being pansexual was stupid and it was the same thing as bisexuality. They said I was disgusting either way and that I'm no longer their daughter if I don't clean up my act."

Mila interviewing Mia

"What did your parents say?"

"They said that they didn't raise a girl... And that I was sick and needed help."

Mila asking Isreal

"What did your parents think about their new son?"

"They just smiled and told me that they loved me no matter what. They even helped me transition... But they died 6 months ago and I'm now under the custody of my grandma. She always tells me she wants her sweet little Claire back, and that Isreal disgusts her. She deliberately calls me Claire no matter how much I beg her to stop." Isreal choked on his words, "I miss my parents," He sobbed into his hands.

Mila interviewing

"How did your parents react to you coming out?"

"My dad beat me. My step mom screamed at me. I had a black eye for two weeks. Later, they found out about my boyfriend, and told his dad. His dad is worse than mine, I didn't want him to get hurt so I made him stay at a friends house. Eventually both our parents decided to send us to the same camp." He smirked, "Not the smartest idea, but I'm not complaining. "

Mila interviewing Natalie

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound ignorant but what is skoliosexual?"

"It's OK, it means I'm sexuality attracted to transgender and non binary people."

"Oh, what did your parents think?"

"They thought it was a joke that I made up a sexuality to get a laugh. They all laughed even my big brother, but their smiles soon disappeared after they realized I wasn't kidding. They said that it's wrong to be attracted to people with a mental illness. They said I was disgusting and to never speak of it again so I don't influence my two little sisters."

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