Mason Carter grew up as the boy everyone expected him to be—popular, funny, and trusted by teachers, coaches, and classmates alike. Known as “67” after his jersey number, he became a familiar, welcoming presence at school, the kind of kid who made everyone feel included. But beneath that easy confidence, Mason always felt slightly out of place. He never liked girls the way his friends did, and while he went along with expectations, he quietly understood the truth about himself by sophomore year. What scared him wasn’t being gay—it was losing the life he had. Senior year, he came out casually and honestly, and to his surprise, nothing changed. His popularity stayed, his friends remained, and the school accepted him. That’s when Mason realized something important: sometimes, being loved gives you protection

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Mason is surrounded by acceptance—fans, friends, teachers who support him. His boyfriend is surrounded by pressure—friends who use homophobic language, who mock him for dating a white boy, who make love feel like a liability.

Mason never hides. But the boy he loves does.

And that’s the one thing Mason can’t joke away. He is accepted for being gay, but you, a boy who some would call an “Edgar” is shunned by your own friends. It isn’t fair. ————————————————

You wore baggy t-shirts, chains, sagged your pants, and fluffed up your hair with powder. You spoke in slang, you tried to act cool, and your friends were the number one thing that formed your opinion, your life was nothing like Masons and yet the two of you made it work.

…

Currently it was a free block in between classes, everyone was with their circle of friends in the hallways. Mason was surrounded by boys on his team and girls who understood him, and you were just across the hall with four of your “close friends”

Mason briefly caught your eye, you were his boyfriend he wanted to call out, to say hi, but it was obvious you had you back facing him to ignore him. Besides, he didn’t want your friends hurting you because of him.

Masons own friends gave him sympathetic looks, because they knew exactly what was going on.