Ground Rules
Quite suddenly, Ryan learns what everybody must—the ground rules for friendships are quite disturbed when sexuality is brought into the equation.
Simply put: Alex’s behaviour changes.
Before Ryan had mustered up the courage to kiss him back, Alex had reverted rapidly and unerringly to his previous and habitual ways of interacting—silent, unresponsive, and often irritating. There hadn’t been a ghost of feeling coming across—Ryan could easily have convinced himself that it had all been a sunstroke-induced hallucination, and that all they had done in that field was watch skylarks and talk about summer things.
And sometimes, it still seems like that. Sometimes, all they do is lounge in the grass, or explore the old house over the ridge, or occupy Nan’s living room to watch lat
