Rainbow High Read Online Free PDF Page A

staring deeply into Jason’s brown eyes.
    Jason pursed his lips into a little pout. “Yeah, wel , you’re biased. You’re the role model, not me.”
    “Oh, yeah?” Kyle asked. “And you’re not biased?”
    Jason’s mouth opened in a wide show of teeth. “Maybe.”
    Kyle thought how much he loved those teeth, that mouth, this boy. He considered what he was about to say and, fighting al common sense, he said it: “If you feel you need to come out to your coach, then I think you should do it.” Jason gazed back at him, sighing, and slumped down in his chair. In the process, his knee bumped against Kyle’s.
    Kyle let it rest there and reached across the table for Jason’s hand.
    Jason flashed a glance toward the door. An instant later they were on their feet, pressed against each other. Jason’s lips devoured Kyle’s, tasting of chocolate-raspberry cake, sweeter than the original.
    As Kyle’s tongue rol ed across Jason’s, he no longer cared about col ege next year. He only wanted to live this moment, forever. Except . ..
    From the doorway came a giggle. Startled, the boys jumped apart.
    Melissa stared at them, carrying her empty plate and milk glass. “Were you two kissing?” Jason, bright red, darted a questioning glance at Kyle, but Kyle looked away, embarrassed. It was up to Jason what he told his sister, though Kyle hoped he’d be truthful.
    Jason cleared his throat. “Um, yeah.” He hurriedly took her plate and glass. “Don’t tel Ma, okay?” Melissa glanced at Kyle. “I won’t.” Giggling, she skipped out of the room.
    “Oh, man!” Jason brought his fingers to his forehead. “I can’t believe she saw us.”
    “At least you were honest with her,” Kyle said, patting him on the shoulder. “That’s great.” Jason rubbed his temples. “I’m glad you think so.”
    The front door sounded as Mrs. Carril o came home. Melissa kept her word, not saying anything about the boys’ kiss while Jason’s mom chatted with them, thanking Kyle for the cake.
    Before Kyle left, Jason handed him a pair of tickets for the game against Chesapeake High Friday. “For you and your dad. Can you come?”
    “Of course!” Kyle beamed.
    As he walked home through the cold, dark night, past brick houses with blue-hazed windows and dogs barking in yards, he thought how clear his life had seemed only two hours earlier. Now everything seemed so uncertain. What if Jason did lose his scholarship? Would Kyle stick by him no matter what? Wasn’t that part of loving someone?
    Kyle felt the game tickets in his pocket, desperately hoping he wouldn’t regret encouraging Jason to come out to his coach.

chapter 3
jason nelson kyle
    Friday evening, prior to the game against Chesapeake High, Jason suited up in the locker room, pul ing on his blue and silver uniform. He replayed his conversation with Kyle in his mind, stil wavering whether to come out to Coach and the team.
    Wasn’t it enough that he’d stood up to his dad and confided in most of the important people in his life—his best friend, Corey, Debra (his ex), his mom and little sister? He was free of his dad; he was discovering his feelings with a boy whom he’d told he loved; and he had a university scholarship in hand. For the first time in his life, everything was going his way. Did he real y want to screw it al up?
    Three lockers down, Dwayne Smith was spouting off about how tonight he was going to kick Chesapeakes’ asses.
    “And you faggoty fairies better not foul al over the place, like last game.” The jerk hassled everyone, then claimed he was only joking. He’d already tried to get into it with Jason twice during the past week at practice. On both occasions Jason had turned away, refusing to be goaded.
    Now, as Jason finished tying his shoelaces, he felt Dwayne’s sharklike gaze lock onto him. “Hey, Carril o,” Dwayne shouted, loud enough for the entire locker room to hear. “What did you go to that fag group for?”
    Jason’s heart thundered