Tricks

Eden knows that some people never find love. She feels lucky, although she knows that she has found love “with the wrong person” (2).

Eden clarifies that her boyfriend, Andrew, is only wrong for her parents. She knows that when Andrew holds her, she feels safe.

Eden explains that her father is a Pentecostal pastor and that her mother is judgmental. Eden’s parents taught both of their daughters that they will not date until they can marry a Pentecostal man.

Eden keeps her relationship with Andrew a secret because he is not Pentecostal, and Eden is not old enough to marry yet. Eden remembers how she fell in love with Andrew when he told her that he believed in God when he saw the beauty of the world around him.

Eden met Andrew at a revival because his sister made him come with her. He sat next to her, and they bonded over not enjoying the revivalist preaching.

Eden never told anyone that she did not enjoy her father’s preaching, so she felt instantly connected to Andrew. The fact that he agreed with her made her feel attracted to him.

Eden told Andrew that she only came to the church because her father expected her to. Andrew told Eden that he believed that meeting her was a miracle.

Andrew and Eden keep their relationship discreet because Andrew is 19. Eden knows that her parents would not hesitate to accuse him of statuary rape if they knew that Eden was dating him.

Every Sunday, Andrew comes to church, and they escape to kiss in the fields behind the church. Eden remembers how her first kiss with Andrew was electric and how she did not care if kissing him meant losing everything.

Eden thinks about how she loves Andrew more each day, even though she has not told him that yet. However, Eden worries that either God or her parents will try to destroy their relationship.

In Seth Parnell’s poem, he describes how when he was a child, his skin broke out in rashes, symbolizing the secret that he kept hidden.

Seth thinks about how he always knew that he was different than the other kids he grew up with.

Seth knows that he will never achieve his dreams after his mother died from cancer because she was the only person who supported him. Seth feels glad that his mother died without knowing that he is gay. Seth remembers that his mother disapproved of his cousin becoming pregnant outside of marriage. Seth never came out to his mother because he did not think that she would accept him after he saw her react to his cousin’s pregnancy.

Seth does not think that anyone in rural Indiana where he lives would accept his sexuality. He has never told his father because of his father’s religious beliefs. Seth knows that his father is still grieving his mother, and he does not want to cause him any more pain. He does not know what he would do if he lost his father after losing his mothSeth does not think that anyone in rural Indiana where he lives would accept his sexuality. He has never told his father because of his father’s religious beliefs. Seth knows that his father is still grieving his mother, and he does not want to cause him any more pain. He does not know what he would do if he lost his father after losing his mother to cancer.er to cancer.

To ensure his father’s love, Seth keeps his true self hidden and only focuses on helping his father harvest corn on their farm.

Several months earlier, Seth’s suppression caused him to post an advertisement on the internet and travel to Louisville, Kentucky, out of desperation to find connection.

Once, Seth dated a girl from his high school named Janet because he believed that his attraction to men was a “temptation” from Satan. Seth believed that he loved Janet, but he was never attracted to her. Instead, Seth found himself attracted to Janet’s brother. He broke up with Janet, but she did not take it well.

Janet offered to sleep with Seth so that he would not break up with her. She started to perform oral sex on him, but he told her that he did not want to have sex with her.

Janet asked him if he was gay in anger but did not wait for a response. Seth wishes that he could tell someone, but he knows that the gossip in the town is too strong. Seth remembers that gossip has ruined many people’s lives in the town.

Seth thinks about how he wants to have sex with someone who will love him, not just want to have sex for the experience.

Seth feels grateful that he is in love with Loren because he never expected to fall in love. In Louisville, Loren introduced Seth to art and theater, and Seth has never felt more like himself.

In Whitney Lang’s poem, she asks an unnamed person why that person loves another girl more than they love her.

Whitney has never lived up to her sister, Kyra, in her mother’s eyes. She knows that her mother loves Kyra more. Whitney hoped that when Kyra went to college, her mother would love her.

When Whitney’s father is home, things are better. However, when he is home, he and her mother argue about Whitney.

When Whitney’s father is home from San Francisco, California, her mother spends more time out of the house. Oftentimes, Whitney’s father will take her to San Francisco. Whitney sees the sex workers and unhoused people and wonders if she might ever end up like them.

Whitney does not want to have unprotected sex because her mother had Kyra at a young age. Whitney has never had sex before, but she thinks that she might have sex with her boyfriend, Lucas, even though she is 15.

Whitney wants to wait until she knows that Lucas loves her before having sex with him. She remembers how she met Lucas at Kyra’s choir performance. Afterward, Whitney saw Kyra and Lucas talking, and she told Kyra that their mother was looking for her.

Whitney introduced herself, and Lucas asked if she is Kyra’s “little” sister. Whitney and Lucas bond over disliking Kyra.

Later that night, Lucas gave Whitney his number.

Whitney was surprised when Lucas called her and asked if she wanted to drive up to Big Sur with him. Whitney made up an excuse to tell her mother.

On the drive, Lucas pulled off to the side of the road to show Whitney the view, and he kissed her.

A few days earlier, Whitney and Lucas kissed almost completely naked at her house while her parents were away. Whitney thought about going even further, but her parents came home early, and they had to scramble to clothe themselves so that they would not get caught.

In Ginger Cordell’s poem, she writes that she wears different faces in her life. She does not know who the real Ginger is.

Ginger’s mother, Iris, yells at her boyfriend on the phone. Ginger wishes that Iris would act like a mother, but she does not even let her children call her “mom.”

After the phone call, Ginger knows that Iris will come into her room looking for comfort. Ginger feels grateful to her grandmother, Gram, for letting Iris and her six children stay with her. Ginger feels glad that they are living with Gram in California, but she does not know how long it will last.

Iris comes into the room that Ginger shares with her sisters and cries on Ginger’s bed. Ginger does not feel sorry for her. She tells Iris that her ex-boyfriend might have found out that Iris is a sex worker.

Ginger tells Iris that most mothers work an “honest” job, and Iris deflates, saying that sex work is the only thing she knows. Ginger says that no one would want Iris the way she is.

Iris looks shocked, but Ginger refuses to mother her. Gram comes in, and Iris goes out to smoke.

Gram comforts Ginger. She tells her that Iris’s childhood was hard since her father was in the Army and they moved around a lot. After Iris’s father died in combat, Iris looked to sex to fill the void that she felt without her father.

Ginger knows that this must be how Iris got pregnant with her at 16, Ginger’s current age. Gram says that she gets mad at Iris for her selfishness and that she hopes she can get a job outside of sex work.

Gram and Ginger hear Sandy crying in the next room, and Ginger gets up to get him. Gram hugs her and apologizes for how hard life has been for her and the other children. She tells Ginger that whatever happens to her, she will always have a home with her. Ginger feels overwhelmed with love for her Gram and thanks her. As she leaves, she hears Gram say that she wishes Iris were more like Ginger.

Ginger goes into Iris’s old room to get Sandy, trying not to think about how it is probably the same bed in which she was conceived.

In Cody Bennett’s poem, he writes about how he does not know who his real father is.

Cody’s family moved from Wichita, Kansas, to Las Vegas, Nevada, two years earlier. He is still reeling from the differences between the two cities.

Cody tries to stay under the radar. He works at GameStop, and he knows that he comes off as “average.” However, Cody knows that flying under the radar means that he gets away with more.

He knows that his mother will always forgive him and that his stepfather, Jack, is a nice man. Jack plays the role of a corny dad, but Cody enjoys that.

Despite his corniness, Cody appreciates Jack’s honesty. Cody never lies to his parents completely, but he omits the truth frequently.

On Saturday night, Ronnie, Cody’s ex-girlfriend Alyssa’s best friend, comes into GameStop on his shift. She asks Cody why he has not called her.

Cody feels confused, and Ronnie tells him that it is obvious that Alyssa is not good for him. Cody does not want to upset Alyssa, but Ronnie says that she will get over it. Ronnie invites Cody out that night.

Ronnie leaves, and Cody wonders why he is thinking about going out with Ronnie. He finds Ronnie very attractive, and he cannot stop thinking about her for the rest of his shift.

Cody waits for the end of his shift as he thinks about Ronnie. He admits that he has fantasized about her while he masturbates but that he never thought she would be interested in him.

After his shift, Cody goes home, where he finds his mother and Jack talking about something serious. Cody only overhears them talking about a doctor.

Cody asks them what they are talking about, but Jack tells him that it is nothing serious. Jack explains that he is having trouble with his indigestion and that he is getting it checked out. However, Cody sees that his mother looks worried.

Cory, Cody’s 13-year-old brother, walks in. He brings up his frustration over the ban on skateboards at the park, and Jack tells him to apologize for his language. Cory storms out, and Jack follows him. Cory finally apologizes to them.

Cody picks up Ronnie, thinking about the marijuana in his pocket. Ronnie notices it and tells him that she cannot wait to party with him.

After they smoke together, Cody asks her why she chose him. She tells him that she has been in love with him for a long time.

In Eden’s poem, she writes that being in love makes her ask difficult questions. She feels completely connected to Andrew, as if she would die without him.

One evening, Eden’s family is at a wedding, which gives her several hours to spend with Andrew.

Andrew drives away after picking her up around the corner from her house. Eden tells him that she has been thinking about him all week.

Andrew parks off the side of the road, and they look at the stars in a sleeping bag in the bed of his truck. They kiss under the stars, and Eden tells him that she loves him.

Eden tenses, but Andrew tells her that he loves her too. He tells her that his life has changed since he met her and that he wants to be with her forever. He says that he wants to have sex with her, but he hesitates.

Eden says that she wants to have sex with him but that she is scared because she has never had sex before. Andrew tells her that he hasn’t either and that he will wait for her.

Eden promises that she will make sure that he is her first love, but Andrew says that he wants their first time to be special, not in the back of his truck.

Eden asks Andrew why he waited to have sex, and he tells her that he never wanted to have sex with someone that he did not love. Andrew says that they will always find their way back to each other because they are meant to be together.

Andrew drops her off. Before she gets out of the car, Eden suggests that they should run away together, but Andrew thinks that they will regret it eventually. He says that he wants to wait until she is 18 so that they can get married and live together.

As Eden walks back, she wonders how she can show her parents that she is meant to be with Andrew. Eden feels that her connection to Andrew can only come from God, but she does not think her parents will agree.

Her family is not home yet, so Eden lies on her bed thinking of Andrew. Her family believes in abstinence, but Eden cannot stop her feelings of arousal when she thinks of Andrew.

Eden gently touches herself, but it only makes her more aroused. She realizes that she knows nothing about sex and that she will be completely inexperienced when she has sex with Andrew.

Eden goes to the computer and searches “losing your virginity” (98).

Eden makes sure to log out of the computer when she hears her family come home. She thinks about what she read about other people’s experiences of having sex for the first time. The experiences are all so different that Eden does not know what to expect.

In his poem, Seth describes how he does not know which part of him is authentic: the side that people see or the side of him that he keeps hidden.

Seth works all day on the farm and decides to go out on Saturday night. His father tells him to stay home so that he can go to church the next day.

Seth looks at a picture of his parents and thinks about all that they went through together. Seth feels guilty leaving his father alone.

Seth does not want to miss out on his plans with Loren and says that he still wants to go out. His father caves in, telling him not to stay out too late.

Seth knows that his father wants him to go to Mass. He has overheard his father talking to God, blaming him for his mother’s death. Yet, every Sunday, he still goes to Mass. Seth wonders if he is hoping that the religion is true so that his mother is in heaven. Seth tells his father that he will go to Mass on his own.

His father tells him that he can make his own decisions about God. Seth does not want to tell him that he has completely given up on Catholicism because of its antigay bias.

Seth drives to Louisville. He thinks about his first time with Loren and how he told Seth that he did not only want sex: He wanted a partner with which to make love.

Seth remembers how terrified he was during his first time having sex with Loren.

Loren was kind to Seth, and their first time together came naturally. Seth realized that he did know what to do, and afterward, Seth told Loren that he could not wait to do it again with him.

Although Loren is older than Seth, he is more passive in their relationship. Seth can hardly wait until the weekends when he can see him.

When Seth gets to Loren’s house, he kisses Loren immediately. Loren asks him to sit down, and Seth knows that something is wrong. Loren shows Seth an acceptance letter into Louisville Seminary. He tells Seth that one of the requirements of the program is to move to New York for the summer.

Loren tells him that he cannot come because Loren will be living at the church. He says that he does not leave until May. Seth asks him if he will come back, and Loren does not answer.