Page 41 of Break Points and Face Offs

“William,” she teases him.

“What’s funny?” Mrs. O’Reilly asks.

“Nothing, Ma. Just a little inside joke,” Will explains.

His sister’s staring at us now like she’s just discovered buried treasure.

I take a sip of water and try to ignore her.

“Will, is Priestley your boyfriend?”

I spit my water—very uncivilized-like—back into my glass.

“No, he’s not my boyfriend,” Will says.

I can’t even look at Will, or anyone, right now. I become very invested in the green beans on my plate.

“Why’d you bring him home then?” Ally asks.

I keep expecting her parents to jump in and scold her for being rude, but when I chance a peek at them, they’re both pretending to cut up their food and eying Will like they’re anxiously awaiting an answer. They also don’t seem surprised at the prospect of Will having a boyfriend.

“Because we’re working on a project together, and Priestley’s a tyrant.”

My head snaps up, my instinct to defend myself kicking in, when Mrs. O’Reilly says, “Speaking of boyfriends⁠—”

“No, Ma.” Will sighs. “I’ve been at school for like three weeks. I don’t have a boyfriend.”

Will is gay? And his parents and siblings, know? Why didn’t he say anything when I told him about Jamie?

I glance at Mr. O’Reilly. I can’t read the expression on his face, but it’s definitely not angry, embarrassed, or any of the expressions I’d imagine my own father wearing at a moment like this. Expressions I saw him wear when Jamie came out to us all at a very different family dinner scene.

“Do you have a boyfriend … or girlfriend, Priestley?”

My head shoots up. Ally is staring at me from across the table, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Thankfully, this time, her mother steps in.

“We don’t ask guests about their love lives,” she says. Quite right.

However, I do want to be a good sport.

“It’s okay,” I say to Ally’s parents. Looking back to the child, I tell her, “I’m single.”

She looks disappointed.

“Evan Chase has a girlfriend,” she says.

God, this kid is the tyrant, not me.

“I don’t.” Chase turns bright red.

“What’s this girl’s name?” Mr. O’Reilly asks.

“I don’t.”

“Ciara,” his sister helpfully provides. Evil. I quite like her.

“She the one with all that lovely red hair?” Mrs. O’Reilly asks while Chase bangs his head on the table.