Out of the Shadows

Ryan Bradford is an average American teenager, except for one thing - he is gay.

He struggles to keep this from his conservative parents and his life becomes more complicated when he begins to fall in love with his straight best friend, Nick.

He plans to hide this from everyone until he goes to college.

But fate has other ideas - Prologue I sit on the bench in the gym.

All the guys are sitting beside me and talking about the usual stuff, but my mind keeps wandering.

I know I shouldn't be feeling this way but he just looks so good.

Nick Reynolds, tall, blonde, and with the most charming smile.

Then I tell myself to stop. I shouldn't be saying this, I should be eyeing up the girls like everybody else, but I can't, it just isn't in me.

Cathy, she's the prettiest girl in school, she is, but why don't I care?

Why does my attention keep coming back to Nick? I can't deny it any longer. I think, I think I like boys. I think I'm - gay. Everything happens for a reason.