“What?!” I asked.

“Hey, stop it! You are such a jerk! Why can’t you just leave her alone?”
McKenna yelled at him. But he went on.

“Men who like men and women who like women. Them homosexuals can’t control themselves.”

Then he spit on the ground, as if he were disgusted to even be talking about them.
“I know why you like rainbows so much, Messy Essie. It’s because you’re gay too, isn’t it! No wonder you like rainbows so much, you gay rainbow freak!”

“For the record, I like boys. But not mean ones like you!” I declared.

“Whatcha gonna do? Your gay daddy isn’t here to save you this time, you spoiled brat!” he shouted.

Then, McKenna leaped in front of me, making a fist.
“You back off right now, or you’ll be in big trouble,” she warned.
She had a look in her eyes that made that boy know that he better scram, and fast.
“Whatever, you dumb girls,”
he shouted over his shoulder as he bolted across the playground.