The sound of a camera shutter draws everyone's attention to Anuja, who now sheepishly lowers the camera to her lap. "I wanted a candid shot of you all. You know, for posterity."
"Yeah, so…I know we're not supposed to talk about it because it's stressful, but…" Diego begins, and then shifts nervously, cutting himself off. His anxiety is contagious. Anuja starts to squirm as well while Addy is still as a statue. Surely he's about to bring up something having to do with Rex.
"What are we all trying to do after we graduate? We barely talk about it for real because our parents and teachers won't shut up about it," he finishes, and the collective sigh of relief is audible.
"I'm getting the hell out," Addy says. "I'm applying to schools in New York and California. I love you all, but Maine is so white and heteronormative that New York City sounds like a mythical land in comparison. We've got like, nine kids who come to GSA here, and that's including Anuja. I can't tell you how many people at school have told me that they'll come out once they leave Arbor Isle. Besides, pretty much everywhere has better food options than here. I'll be happy if I never see another lobster roll in my entire life."
"I was thinking about New York too," Anuja says. "But I think I might stay in New England. Probably Boston. I liked almost every school I visited there. It's a big city, but not as overwhelming as New York."
"So everybody wants to go out into the world, huh?" Diego says, and his face is stiff like he's trying to keep it from betraying him. "What about you, Kirill? Will you go back to St. Petersburg?"
"I don't think so," Kirill answers. "I want to see other parts of the U.S. and I'm a good student. I think I could get into a good school somewhere here."
"Petzeiros?" Anuja says. "Where do you want to go? What do you want to do? You've missed out on some prime interrogation time since you've been gone, so I have no idea what your plans are."