Flamer

Aiden wakes with tears in his eyes. Elias is gone, and the friendship bracelet Aiden had made him is on the ground. Aiden wears a black hoodie and is depressed and reticent when anyone tries to talk to him. At archery, Elias doesn’t even want to look at him and Aiden eventually runs away crying. Things get even worse at orienteering, when Aiden learns that Ted has been fired because management found out that he’s gay. In the lunchroom, Aiden overhears the other scout leaders talking about Ted. One of them is defending Ted, while the other agrees that he should have been fired and suggests that he’s a pervert.

On his way to basket weaving, Aiden passes Elias, who is on the phone with his ex-girlfriend. Aiden doesn’t stop, but drops his friendship bracelet nearby. Aiden then gets into an argument with Ryan, who is tired of Aiden feeling sorry for himself. Later, Aiden is devastated when the mail comes and there’s no letter from Violet. He tells Jacob that he is going to bed early, and calls home. He wants to talk to his mom, but she is fighting with his dad. He tells his sister Tessa that he loves her and asks her to tell their mom the same.