Nikhil Out Loud by Maulik Pancholy

Author:Maulik Pancholy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2022-07-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

I want to open up to my friends. To muster up the courage to do exactly what Anton said. But it’s harder than I thought. I’m not even sure where to start.

And then, at lunch one day, Monica pulls a printed-out email from her backpack and lays it on our table. The four of us have to scoot in closer together to read it.

“I overheard my mom and dad talking about this last night,” she tells us. “They were reading it on my mom’s computer. After dinner, my mom left her laptop open, and I printed it out while she wasn’t looking.” She lays a hand on my arm. “I’m really sorry, Nikhil.”

With every word I read, it gets harder to breathe. I’m mad. I’m really mad.

But it’s not just me who’s upset. I can tell by the way Mateo’s jaw is set that he’s fighting back tears. And a vein is popping out along the side of DeSean’s neck.

From: Constance Shaffer

To: Undisclosed recipients

Subject: We must protect our children

Dear Sycamore Parents,

It’s come to my attention that a new student started Sycamore Middle this year. Nikhil Shah is an 8th grader who also happens to be an openly homosexual TV star. Many of our youngsters watch the cartoon he stars in on a regular basis. Now, he’s flaunting his homosexuality in the school newspaper.

Which means our precious middle schoolers—who should not even be thinking about sex yet—are being told “it’s great to be gay” by someone they look up to!

It makes me sick just to think about it, and I’m sure you feel the same way.

To make matters worse, Nikhil is playing the lead in the school musical—just one more reason for our kids to look up to him. I called Principal Dawson to demand that the school remove him from this role, but he refused to listen. So, the time has come to take matters into our own hands.

Nikhil Shah and his LGBT agenda have no place in our school!

If Principal Dawson won’t do anything about it, it’s up to us to stop this from happening!

If you believe in saving our kids, please email me your interest ASAP.

Yours,

Constance Shaffer

“Is this”—my voice quivers—“for real?” I know this woman called the school, but something about seeing all these words makes my stomach turn all over again. And if Monica’s mom got this, does that mean everyone’s parents did?

I glance around the cafeteria.

But at all the other tables, kids just seem to be eating their lunches like they normally do.

“Do you know who else got this?” I ask. “Did she send it to the whole school?”

Monica shakes her head. “I don’t know! I heard my mom say she doesn’t even know how this woman has her info. She thought maybe it was from an old PTA list or something?”

I turn to DeSean. “Did your moms get it?” Panic is rising in my chest.

He grits his teeth. “If they had, I’m pretty sure I would have heard something.”

I stare at the paper until the words start swimming across the page.

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